Flying high, Red-tailed Cockatoo (Calyptorhyncus banksii naso). Image by Sandra WallaceSeven forest red-tailed black cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus banksii naso), which have just been added to the Commonwealth Threatened Species List by Australia, have been released at the Black Cockatoo Rehabilitation Centre in Martin.
Western Australia's Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) wildlife officers and volunteers conducted the State's largest release of forest red-tailed black cockatoos into the wild. DEC wildlife officer Rick Dawson said the cockatoos all originated from the same area and had been at the rehabilitation centre for up to a year.
Mr Dawson said "Six of the cockatoos were brought in after being hit by cars, and two had been disentangled from barbed wire fences and brought to the centre. These birds have now recovered to the extent that they can be returned to the wild, and we are confident that they will make this transition smoothly. This species is declining in abundance, and to be able to give these birds a second chance at life and hopefully boost the local breeding population is a really positive thing."
Prior to release the birds were microchipped and DNA samples were taken.
"This will ensure we can identify the birds if we encounter them again, as well as providing us with genetic information about this species of cockatoo so we can learn how to better protect them in the future," Mr Dawson said.
Only found in Western Australia - And declining
The forest red-tailed black cockatoo is known only to exist in Western Australia, with populations distributed through the Perth Hills, north to Gingin, south-east to Mt Saddleback and south to Rocky Gully. Once common throughout the jarrah forest areas of the State, just 10,000 to 15,000 birds are now estimated to exist in the wild.
Efforts to conserve the cockatoos are being supported by the Forest Black Cockatoo Recovery Plan, a joint initiative between DEC, the WA Museum and World Wildlife Fund.