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Conservation efforts for Carnaby's Black-Cockatoo
The outlook for Carnaby's Black-Cockatoo used to be grim, with the bird labelled "likely to become extinct" under the Western Australian Wildlife Conservation Act 1950. Its population has plummeted 50 per cent over the past 45 years.
The species is significant not only for its rarity but also its cross-regional distribution, migratory habits and multiple habitat type use (eucalypt woodland and Kwongan heath).
This adds to the complex task of rescuing the bird. But a three-year Birds Australia and South West Catchments Council recovery project is using a cross-regional approach to make sure conservation efforts are effective.
Funding
The project is supported with around $700,000 from the Australian and State Governments. The Western Australian Government has also provided other cash and in-kind contributions.
Activities and achievements
Regional Coordinator Helen Pitman said the main threat to the cockatoo was loss of habitat in the Wheatbelt region, which has been cleared or fragmented.
"In many woodland remnants the lack of eucalypt regeneration and loss of tree hollows has reduced the amount of nesting sites," Helen said. "And original food sources on the Swan Coastal Plain have largely been replaced by introduced pine plantations, which may be significantly reduced in the future.
"The cockatoo is also highly prized cage bird and sometimes taken illegally from the wild. Trees are often cut down or the hollow severely damaged when young and eggs are taken, making them unsuitable for future breeding attempts."
The recovery project is split between a range of activities, one of which involves volunteers gathering annual data on numbers of breeding pairs and active hollows. This helps to determine population trends and the speed at which they're declining.
Volunteers also carry out hollow repairs in critical breeding habitat - 90 were repaired in 2004 and 75 were rebuilt or cleaned out in 2005.
"We also replant and fence off remnant bushland on private land across the southwest agricultural region, which is the main habitat for the cockatoos during the breeding season," Helen said. "We work with landholders on Voluntary Management Agreements to look after the habitat in a sustainable way and so far eight landholders have agreed to be part of the project.
"There's been a positive change in landholder attitudes towards conservation and environmental issues. They're working not only with volunteers on their land to monitor breeding sites, but are becoming actively involved in hands-on work like fencing and replanting."
More information
- Helen Pitman, Birds Australia: (08) 9383 7749 or h.pitman@birdsaustralia.com.au
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