Healesville Sanctuary is celebrating the hatching of its first Helmeted Honeyeater chick of the season.

The Helmeted Honeyeater is Victoria's bird emblem and the only bird endemic to Victoria. Most importantly, the Helmeted Honeyeater is critically endangered.

Healesville Sanctuary established its Helmeted Honeyeater Recovery Program in 1989 and now releases between 15 and 25 captive bred Helmeted Honeyeaters into the wild each year.

"Australia has the highest rate of extinction of mammals in the world, and many bird species are also under serious threat, including the Helmeted Honeyeater," Healesville Sanctuary's Director, Mr Glen Holland. "Healesville Sanctuary is committed to helping save this unique and ecologically important species."

Being so small, the wild population of Helmeted Honeyeaters is at risk of being decimated by chance events like bushfires. Drought, lack of regeneration of eucalypts, competition with colonies of Bell Miners, and attacks from feral animals are additional threats.

Keepers at Healesville Sanctuary have suggested that there are many other birds to watch for in spring in Victoria such as the White-naped Honeyeater, King Parrot, Flame Robin and Crimson Rosella.

"It is so important for us to be playing such an active role in fighting extinction and working hard to save some of the world's most endangered animals," Mr Holland said. "These stunning birds would be extinct if it wasn't for the dedication and expertise of our threatened species staff."

Healesville Sanctuary's programs aim to restore threatened species to the wild through captive breeding and release coupled with habitat management and restoration.