Endangered cockatoo

Limestone Coast Landscape Board

Challenge

A critical lack of feeding habitat and nesting hollows is putting the south-eastern red-tailed black cockatoo in danger of extinction. The current population is estimated to be 1500 birds and recruitment into the population is low.

Response

The Communities Helping Cockies project is delivering on-ground actions that are identified in the South-eastern Red-tailed Black Cockatoo Recovery Plan. This includes annual flock counts to monitor the population, revegetation of stringybark and buloke woodlands to increase feeding habitat, weed control and fencing of remnant trees to enhance existing habitat, and nest box monitoring to supplement breeding habitat. The project is being delivered in partnership with Birdlife Australia, Trees for Life and Zoos SA who work with volunteers, First Nations organisations, landholders and school groups.

Success

By working together and implementing the actions in the recovery plan, the project is delivering actions that are contributing to stabilising and improving the trajectory of the species. Through this project, feeding habitat condition and connectivity has increased, nesting habitat has been protected and supplemented, relationships and networks have been developed, and community capacity and awareness is increasing.

This project is delivered by the Limestone Coast Landscape Board through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.