Australia Weather News

Skiers and holiday-makers are enjoying one of the strongest season openings for years as thick snow blankets the Victorian Alps.

But gang-gang cockatoos, who usually prefer cool temperatures, are at risk of dying in the freezing conditions.

The endangered birds are being found grounded in the snow, weak and disoriented, suffering from hypothermia.

Deb Howie, who has been rescuing stricken birds at Falls Creek, said the "cold and windy" conditions were taking a toll.

"This winter has been so brutal … we're finding that there are quite a few gang-gangs that are actually struggling," she said.

"They're grounded on the snow, and they don't really move.

"Their wings are frozen and their tails are frozen, so they can't fly away. They're obviously in distress."

Falls Creek visitors have been advised to carry cloth bags or pillowcases while walking, so they can gently capture any grounded birds and keep them warm while waiting for help.

Ms Howie said of the 10 gang-gangs she had rescued so far, most were juveniles.

"They get picked up, put in a box or wrapped in a towel …and we get them off the hill."

Couples reunited

Wildlife carer Jo Mitlehner has also been involved in the rescue efforts and said it was crucial to reunite separated mates, as gang-gangs pair for life.

At the start of the snow season, she rescued a mature female gang-gang that had been separated from her partner.

"We found her crawling in the snow at Falls Creek," she said.

Ms Mitlehner said as soon as the female was well enough, she was returned to where she had been found because the gang-gangs were preparing to leave the area.

"We needed to get her straight back before her mate travelled out of the area," she said.

On release, another carer believed he heard a nearby gang-gang responding to her call.

Changing conditions

Ms Mitlehner said the birds were not usually found at such high altitudes in winter.

While not strictly migratory, they often move from mountain forests to lower elevations during colder months.

Ms Mitlehner said she and her team thought a longer summer might have allowed for a second breeding season, leaving more juveniles unprepared for the cold snap.

Sean Dooley from BirdLife Australia said shifting climate patterns could be a factor in why the birds had not moved down the mountains.

"It could be related to the fact that over the past decade or so, we have had much milder winters, and perhaps the gang-gangs have started to adapt to this shift in climate and not been moving as far," he said.

"So when we get an old-fashioned winter blast, some birds are being caught out."

Endangered and at risk

According to the latest data, gang-gang populations have already suffered a sharp decline — a drop of nearly 70 per cent between 1999 and 2019.

The 2019–2020 bushfires caused further devastation.

In 2022, the parrot was officially listed as endangered, with an estimated 25,300 mature birds remaining in the wild.

"Experts say the likely reason for the decline in gang-gangs has been the destruction of the big old, hollow-bearing trees that they nest in up in mountainous areas, from native-forest logging," Mr Dooley said.

"With fewer gang-gangs around, events like the recent cold snap will have a greater impact on the overall population."

Cold blast not over yet

A Bureau of Meteorology spokesperson confirmed that much of Victoria had endured below-average minimum temperatures for June.

And while there is still cold weather ahead in the short term, the bureau's forecast for August to October is for warmer-than-average temperatures.

Until then, Falls Creek head of visitor experience David Leathem urged snow-goers to keep an eye out for "vulnerable species, particularly the endangered gang-gang cockatoo".

"Immediate action can make all the difference," he said.

"We encourage residents and visitors to stay alert and contact local wildlife carers for assistance and advice."