Abstract
The Swift Parrot Lathamus discolor is listed as Endangered under provisions of the EPBC Act for threatened species. The species migrates annually between Tasmania and the coast of south-eastern Australia. Current population estimates indicate that the population numbers fewer than 2000 birds. The species range coincides with a number of recently constructed wind power generation facilities (wind farms) and more facilities are proposed within its range. The wind farms may pose a risk of collision to the parrot as bird mortalities are known from wind farms in a variety of situations worldwide.
The essential aim of the current project is to predict, based upon the extant population of Swift Parrots, the potential cumulative impacts of collision risk posed by wind farms across the range of the species distribution. The project utilises bird collision risk modelling to generate assessments of the cumulative risk to the endangered Swift Parrot posed by such collisions.
The cumulative modelling was undertaken for the species using the Biosis Research avian collision risk model. The assessment is based on existing and currently proposed wind farm sites.
Using data available for the Swift Parrot, the Biosis Research collision model is utilised to determine the bird strike risk for the parrot’s population from the wind farms in the following categories, as at 30th May 2005, within the species range:
- already constructed or approved;
- referred under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and:
- determined to be not a controlled action (NCA);
- determined to be not a controlled action manner specified (NCA-MS);
- approved under the EPBC Act; and
- proposed and currently being assessed for a determination under the EPBC Act.