Infection by Psittacine Circoviral (beak and feather) Disease affecting endangered psittacine species and populations was listed as a KEY THREATENING PROCESS on Schedule 3 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 [6 December 2002].
Psittacine Circoviral (beak and feather) Disease (PCD) affects parrots and associated species (psittacines birds), and is often fatal. It is caused by a virus that infects and kills the cells of the feather and beak, as well as cells of the immune system, leaving birds vulnerable to bacterial and other infections (Murdoch University 1997). PCD has been identified in more than 38 species of captive and wild indigenous psittacine birds in Australia, however all psittacine species are considered susceptible to infection (EA 2001).
Characteristics which may increase a species' vulnerability to catastrophic epidemics of this disease include a small and declining number of breeding birds, and few subpopulations (EA 2001). The following species and population listed as threatened in NSW are known to have a high infection rate of PCD are: the Orange-bellied Parrot and the population of Gang Gang Cockatoos from the Hornsby and Ku-ring-gai local government councils versus high incidence of PCD.
Threatened species considered to have a high potential for being adversely impacted by PCD are: Coxen's Fig Parrot and the Swift Parrot (Garnett and Crowley 2000).
Psittacine Circoviral (beak and feather) Disease affecting endangered psittacine species is listed as a key threatening process under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
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