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Red-tailed Black Cockatoo breeds in metro area for first time

July 14, 2011

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For the first time, a threatened black cockatoo has bred in the Perth metropolitan area, on Murdoch University’s South Street Campus.

The Red-tailed Black Cockatoo chick is believed to have hatched around mid-May and is a huge milestone in the University’s plan to provide habitat for endangered cockatoos.

Murdoch University’s Environmental Program Manager, Caroline Minton, said this was also the first known case of a Forest Red-tailed Black Cockatoo breeding in a nest box.

“The Department of Environment and Conservation gave one of our University clubs – the Murdoch Environmental Restoration Group - enough funding to install six nest boxes on campus in May 2009, but until now only four have been used, two by pink and grey Galahs and two by feral bees,” Ms Minton said.

“The tube nest boxes with open tops were designed specifically by the WA Museum to simulate the natural breeding hollows of the black cockatoos.”

Adjunct Murdoch University Professor and WA Museum’s Curator of Ornithology, Ron Johnstone, has tagged the chick and taken a DNA sample as part of a research study that has spanned the last 15 years.

“The Forest Red-tailed is a large, iconic forest and woodland cockatoo endemic to the south-west corner of Western Australia,” Professor Johnstone said.

“The threatened species have suffered substantial loss of habitat and decline in numbers in the past 50 years.

“A lack of food sources and suitable nesting hallows have previously stopped the cockatoo from breeding in the metropolitan area, but the planting of Cape Lilac and various Eucalypts at Murdoch has provided them with a new habitat in which to breed.”

A flock of around 30 Red-tails moved onto the Murdoch’s campus in early 2010 and the resident population’s numbers are now estimated at more than 90. They share land with the endangered Carnaby’s Cockatoo which are found in large numbers at Murdoch.

“Murdoch’s introduction of reserves, native landscaping, extensive replanting and wildlife corridors is paying off for the protection of both species,” Ms Minton said.

The WA Museum’s research project studies the breeding biology, migration movements, food and behaviour of all three species of black cockatoo including the Baudin’s and Carnaby’s.