Mystery disease: Mr Holdsworth says it is unclear if the illness is found in wild populations. [File photo]
Last Update: Saturday, October 7, 2006. 6:47am (AEST)

Mystery disease kills parrot nestlings

A mysterious disease is threatening the endangered orange-bellied parrot.

Birds in the captive breeding program near Hobart have been in quarantine since January, when 46 nestlings were killed by the disease.

Mark Holdsworth, from the Parrot Recovery Program, says it is thought to be a herpes virus but months of testing have been inconclusive.

"Certainly if it was a exotic disease and something that the wild population hasn't been exposed to then it would be a serious event and a serious threat," he said.

"That's why we've formally quarantined the Taroona population so we don't run that risk."

Mr Holdsworth says the recovery team will carry out tests on wild birds.

"We're hoping that this is just a natural virus that's in the population anyway and we hope to discover that in January when we'll be handling birds in the wild," he said.

"We'll be able to take some samples to determine whether indeed the disease or the herpes virus may be in that population."

The population of the orange-bellied parrot numbers fewer than 200 adult birds.