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Regions unite in fight to save threatened cockatoo
A South-eastern Red-tailed Black Cockatoo in full flight
Two cockatoos flying together
A cockatoo perched in a tree
Efforts to protect an iconic bird in Western Victoria, the South-eastern Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo, have brought people together from across two states, multiple regions and a host of interested organisations.
Funding
The South-eastern Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo recovery team initially received $155,000 from the Australian Government to secure the population. The Victorian Government also provided significant support.
But the bird received so much attention the Wimmera Catchment Management Authority (CMA) applied and won an additional $1.2 million in Australian Government funds to accelerate the recovery plan through the 'habitat tender' project.
"This funding boost went straight to landowners to preserve and enhance habitat for the cockatoo," said Dean Robertson, Wimmera CMA Biodiversity Projects Manager.
Activities
"Farmers and property owners retained control over what was done, and improving habitat often increased their productivity too," said Dean, who is also a member of the recovery team made up of the regions of southwest Wimmera, western Glenelg Hopkins and southeast South Australia.
"These birds really are unique," said Dean. "Our aim is to improve the size of their population by addressing a critical shortage of food as well as impacts on nesting sites. With habitat tender, landholders have the opportunity to set their own value for supplying the ecosystem service of habitat rather than taking our amount to build a fence. This can result in a commercial return on the land for the landholder."
While there are five sub-species of Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo across Australia, the south-eastern subspecies is confined to three regions. This subspecies is smaller and the females more brightly marked (the scientific name literally means 'painted female'). Not surprisingly these magnificent birds have endeared themselves to the locals as icons of that area.
"They're quite specialist animals in that they only feed on three sources: two species of eucalypt and an allocasuarina - the buloke. This is generally found on good agricultural land and is under pressure to be cleared," said Dean.
In addition the birds only roost in the hollows of large, well-established gum trees that are also often cleared, mainly for firewood.
Achievements
The recovery team also focuses on education, and an extension officer engaged through Birds Australia helps raise the bird's profile through brochures, field days and school visits. A bird count is held annually, with figures showing the population currently stands at about 1,000.
Another boost occurred in 2006 when the Melbourne Commonwealth Games mascot was announced as Karak, a Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo. This led to several organisations such as the Trust for Nature and the Wilderness Society donating incentives to landholders, or buying land that provides habitat for the birds.
More information
- Dean Robertson, Biodiversity Projects Manager: (03) 5382 1544 or robertsond@wcma.vic.gov.au
- Wimmera CMA website: www.wcma.vic.gov.au
- Red tailed Black Cockatoo website: www.redtail.com.au
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