Bird Conservation Scholars 2025: Jess Willemse

The 2025 recipient of the Bird Conservation Scholarship was Jess Willemse, an Honours student at the University of Tasmania. Jess compared two survey methods to detect blue-winged parrots: 20-minute human point observation and passive acoustic recordings.

Project summary

The blue-winged parrot (Neophema chrysostoma) is one of only three migratory parrot species worldwide. Once common in Tasmania, its population has declined by an estimated 30–50% over three generations. A breeding population migrates to Tasmania from the mainland each spring, with some individuals believed to overwinter in the state. As a result of this decline, the species has been listed as Vulnerable under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, although this listing was based on incomplete survey coverage across its range.  It is also listed as vulnerable in Tasmania.

Jess’s Honours research addressed a key knowledge gap in how the blue-winged parrot is surveyed. No preferred survey method has been identified for the species, despite abundance and occupancy being critical measures for assessing population status and informing conservation.  Her project compared two commonly used survey techniques to evaluate their effectiveness and help guide future monitoring efforts.

The study compared 20-minute point count surveys with full-day passive acoustic monitoring across 40 sites in south-east Tasmania in terms of detectability and cost. Point observations involved repeat surveys at each site where an observer recorded any detections, while acoustic recorders were firstly deployed and then recordings analysed for detections using automated call recognition followed by manual verification. Passive acoustic monitoring detected blue-winged parrots at many more sites demonstrating a substantially higher detection rate.  Upfront costs were greater for passive acoustic monitoring then point surveys.

Jess’s research has formed the foundation for ongoing work by the Difficult Bird Research Group at the Australian National University, who are now building on her findings by surveying approximately 500 sites across Tasmania using both survey techniques. This continued work is helping to address critical knowledge gaps in the species’ distribution, abundance, habitat use, and threats, strengthening the evidence base needed to guide conservation and management of the vulnerable blue-winged parrot.

Banner image by Peter Vaughan.