Southwest Black-Cockatoo Recovery

Key points

• In the last 50 years, the population of Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoos in the Perth–Peel area has declined by about 50%
• Their range has contracted by up to a third; similar contractions have been estimated for Baudin’s and Forest Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos
• Though black-cockatoos are long-lived, few chicks survive to adulthood. The destruction of nesting sites makes it more difficult for them to breed, so the population is likely to be ageing.

Finding solutions for a cockatoo crisis

The black-cockatoos of south-western Australia face many threats, including:

• Clearing vegetation used for feeding and roosting
• Competition for nesting hollows from Galahs, corellas and feral bees
• Stock trampling revegetation and degrading remaining nesting trees
• Illegal poaching and persecution
• Road strike

It may take decades to turn things around, but BirdLife Australia is implementing various different campaigns to build a sustainable future for these birds.

We are building a black-cockatoo recovery

BirdLife Australia is conducting various campaigns and projects to restore the populations of these charismatic birds:

• Community engagement programs and education
• Supporting private landholders to preserve and restore priority remnant vegetation
• Funding to support fencing, revegetation, erect artificial nesting hollows, establish permanent watering points, control weeds and competitors
• Identification and prioritisation of nesting sites for recovery actions
• Data collection and nest monitoring
• Encouraging and assisting landholders, industry and communities to implement cockatoo-friendly management practices
• Facilitating the implementation of Voluntary Management Agreements, to help solidify commitment to conservation and secure habitat for the species