Swift Parrots breed only in Tasmania, mainly in the forests of the east coast, and migrate to the mainland in winter. Continued logging of these forests is seen as one of the major threats to an ever decreasing population of Swift Parrots, which recently was estimated at only 2000 birds. New research has revealed what may be an even greater threat - the predation of their nests by the introduced Sugar Glider.

Swift Parrots are mainly nectar feeders but they also eat the sugary exudation of lerps, seeds and small fruits. In Tasmania, flowering Tasmanian Blue Gum is a favourite food tree but on the mainland a wide range of flowering eucalypts are visited. On the south coast of NSW, large areas of flowering Spotted Gum have proved a major attraction in the past.