Community acts for South-Eastern Red-tailed Black Cockatoo

Community action to save the endangered South-Eastern Red-tailed Black Cockatoo

A record-breaking community effort to count South-Eastern Red-tailed Black Cockatoos has collected important information about the endangered species. 205 community volunteers – the highest number in the project’s history – searched 92 sites across the birds 180,000 km² range in south-east SA and south-west Victoria.

Survey teams covered 3,505 km and spent over 395 combined hours in the field in May with the results collated and analysed by BirdLife Australia now available. Despite the massive community effort, only 25% of groups spotted the birds, with an adjusted count of 885 birds recorded, a drop from last year’s result of 1,303. But experts are not yet alarmed.

“Windy conditions on the day are likely to have reduced detectability, especially in the afternoon when sightings usually peak,” explains Recovery Project Coordinator, Rachel Farran. “Volunteers also reported lower availability of stringybark seed capsules which the birds feed upon, which may have led birds to disperse more widely in search of food.”

“Even though we saw fewer birds overall, the count provided critically important information about where birds in flocks could be found, and habitat use, all useful for guiding future recovery actions,” said Ms Farran. “Every report, whether it’s from a seasoned birdwatcher or a student group, adds to the collective effort to secure a future for this treasured local. Every sighting is valuable.”

Participants in the count included teams from Department of Energy Environment and Climate Action, Deakin University, Zoos SA, local Landcare groups, Casterton Rotary, and students from Yahl and Penola Primary Schools who formed their own survey groups.

The project is funded by the Australian Government’s Natural Heritage Trust, and Federal Minister for the Environment, Murray Watt thanked attendees for their efforts.

“Communities play a crucial role in supporting our incredible native wildlife and helping us to better understand their habitats,” Minister Watt said.

“Learning more about local species while getting out in the fresh air is a sensational way to spend a few hours, but it’s also incredibly valuable for the future protection of the South-Eastern Red-tailed Black Cockatoo.”

The day began with a Welcome to Country by Gunditjmara Elder Aunty Cathy Munroe, grounding the event in cultural connection and shared purpose at the Annual Count training held in Casterton on the morning of the count.

Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos are cherished for their beauty and their deep cultural and ecological importance, Australia-wide. Of the five recognised subspecies, the South-eastern Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo (Red-tails) is the smallest and most endangered due to the destruction of habitat such as stringybark and buloke feeding habitat, and nesting hollows. Every action taken to protect this species is urgent and vital.

Conservation efforts stretch back decades, with the first detailed study conducted in 1988 and the formation of a Recovery Team in 1997. Current Chair Vicki-Jo Russell AM says the broader community plays an important role in the bird’s survival.

“It’s the passion and hard work of the local community across the Red-tail’s range that provides a beacon of hope for this wonderful bird,” said Ms Russell. “From reporting sightings to creating habitat on private land, it’s the combined action of individuals and groups that will make the difference.”

The Annual Count, held each May in partnership with the Wimmera Catchment Management Authority, Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority, Limestone Coast Landscape Board, and BirdLife Australia, is one of the most important ways the public regularly contributes to the birds recovery. Other key recovery actions being undertaken include habitat protection and revegetation, appropriate fire management, and population monitoring.

BirdLife Australia and the Red-tail Recovery Team thanked all the volunteers, landholders, schools, and supporters who made the 2025 Annual Count a success.

“Recovery is a shared journey,” Ms Russell said. “Every action taken by the community helps bring us one step closer to understanding the Red-tails better and securing their future, and we are grateful to everyone who participated.”

For more information on how to participate or submit sightings, visit www.redtail.com.au.

Media contact: Rachel Farran, Birdlife Australia’s South-Eastern Red-tailed Black Cockatoo recovery project coordinator, phone: 0447 543 646, email: Rachel.farran@birdlife.org.au