Twitchers track rare orange-bellied parrot
Monday, May 18, 2009 at 11:45 
Orange-bellied parrots. Image by Tony MorrisVolunteers in south-west Victoria have spent the weekend trying to find the elusive and critically endangered orange-bellied parrot.
About 30 people took part in the first of three surveys to help the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) protect the bird's habitat.
Up to 12 of the birds were spotted near Warrnambool, Yambuk and Werribee.
The DSE's Rachel Sims says the entire population of 150 parrots migrates to Victoria every winter, but only 50 have ever been seen on the mainland.
"We know at least some of them stop at King Island on the way across, but we don't know if they all do that," she said.
"We believe they are all coming to the mainland for winter, so it's about trying to find out where that is, really."