3 weeks ago four (or five) OBPs have been at western Port Phillip; one seen in southeast South Australia and another in western Victoria.This weekend non where spotted. Image by by Debbie LustigEarly results from a search for the critically-endangered orange-bellied parrot in south-east South Australia have not been promising.
About 40 volunteers searched areas between the Murray mouth and Victoria during the weekend.
Search coordinator Bob Green says the birds normally live in South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania, although only 50 are believed to be left in the wild.
He says his group did not see any of them between Friday and yesterday.
"When you're looking at around 50 birds over an area from the Murray mouth through to the Gippsland Lakes area, it's just a phenomenally large area to search for 50 parrots that are essentially a little bit larger than a budgie," he said.
"They're a really beautiful green colour, they've got blue on the upper wing and on the flight feathers of the wing.
"The males have a really bright reddish-orange patch between the legs and most of the front of the bird is quite a bright kind of yellow."
Mr Green says it will take a few more days to hear from all of the 40 volunteers.