Birds of a Feather: Saving Black Cockatoos

In February members of the Trillion Trees team attended a fantastic event organised by the Conservation Council of WA (CCWA) and supported by the Urban Bushland Council. A sold out crowd gathered at the State Library of WA to hear a range of speakers discuss the plight of our black cockatoos.

The event began with a spine tingling welcome to country by Jack Collard. The first speaker was Glenn Dewhurst, founder of Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Conservation Centre. He spoke passionately and with good humour about the challenges of running his small charity. He reported that 2023 was the first year they started to see black cockatoos coming in, otherwise healthy but suffering from starvation. The problem is growing quickly. He linked the starvation towards a changing climate and the dry summers which has affected the flowering of marris and jarrah, so the seeds, nuts and pollen are now not nutritious enough for the birds as trees are stressed. He also noted an increase in young birds falling out of nests which he thinks is because of heatwave conditions forcing them out too young. He was most concerned about the Baudins Black cockatoos which have the smallest population of all 3 species of black cockatoos. He estimates there are 2300 left and they will be extinct in his lifetime.

The next speaker was Prof Kingsley Dixon, well known botanist and advocate for wildlife protection. He spoke about the importance of Banksia attenuata and B. Menziesii, calling them a banquet for Carnabys. He has published a paper on the dramatic decline in number of banksias in Kings Park over his 30y tenure working there.

The final speaker was Sean Dooley of Birdlife Australia (based in Eastern States). He said the whole country is concerned for WA’s black cockatoos and noted how lucky we are to have black cockatoos living so close to us and feeding on backyard trees in our suburbs. According to Birdlife’s 2020 Action Plan for Australian Birds, the populations in 2020 were estimated to be:

• Forest Red Tailed Black Cockatoos 16800

• Carnabys Cockatoos 34000

• Baudins Cockatoos 3250

He spoke a lot about our ineffective nature laws which are not effecting positive change for our wildlife. He urged people to let their candidates know their concerns during upcoming election campaigning. Research shows 78% of West Aussies want better nature laws. He said there are ways for land to be developed in a nature positive way, and expressed shock at Perth’s treeless new suburbs. Birdlife is campaigning for changes to planning laws in WA.

Questions were welcomed from the floor. We heard about a new sculpture being installed depicting black cockatoos in Moora. Paddy Cullen spoke about upcoming protests and opportunities to join demonstrations including in Pinjarra re: mining expansions that devastate native bushland.

The concept that Carnaby’s could be the flagship species for wildlife protection in WA, like koalas have been the “poster boys” over east was widely supported. We came away inspired and energised to hear that so many people care deeply about the plight of our black cockatoos. Huge thanks to CCWA and Urban Bushland Council for an excellent event.

Banner image credit: John Blakey