Two companies and two almond plantation workers have been charged over the shooting of more than 40 rare parrots in Victoria's northwest late last year.

The 40 regent parrots were shot in bush near a large almond farm near Robinvale, on the Murray River 470km northwest of Melbourne, in November last year.

The regent parrot is a nationally-threatened species, with only 2,400 left in the wild.

The birds are protected under Victoria's Wildlife Act.

The maximum penalty for killing a single bird protected under the legislation is a $5,350 fine and six months' jail, with additional fines for each subsequent bird killed.

Two men, one from Robinvale and one from Swan Hill, have each been charged with taking protected wildlife.

They work in orchards run by Select Harvests Limited and Kyndalyn Park Pty Ltd at Robinvale.

The companies have each been charged with single counts of taking protected wildlife and giving false or misleading information to an authorised officer and two counts each of failing to comply with an authorisation to control wildlife.

DSE biodiversity and ecosystem executive director Ian Miles said wildlife officers on a routine patrol found regent parrot carcasses and those of other species hidden in fox and rabbit holes.

The case is listed form mention at the Robinvale Magistrates' Court on May 22.
Two companies charged over parrot deaths - Breaking News - National - Breaking News

what a shame. Such a loss.

Pretty sad. That represents 1.6 percent of the total wild population gone. Just like that.