GLOSSY BLACK COCKATOOS – WHERE ARE THEY?
You can help submit sightings of the birds, feed trees and nesting trees
South-eastern Glossy Black Cockatoo Field Guide
The South-eastern Glossy Black-Cockatoo (GBC) is critically endangered in Victoria and listed as vulnerable in Queensland, NSW and ACT.
They are the most exclusive feeders of all the black-cockatoos, only feeding on the seeds found in the cones of she-oak trees (Allocasuarina and Casuarina species). Not all she-oak trees will produce cones and research has shown that GBC’s may only feed on 1 in 4 trees in an area.
GBC’s mate for life and only lay a single egg, sometimes only every second year. They nest in a hollow and require very large trees for suitable sized hollows. They often nest near water.
Birdlife Australia and the Glossy Black Conservancy are collecting data on the Glossies in an area from the ‘Bunyas to the Border’ and they need us to submit our sightings of the birds, feed trees and nesting trees.
The Glossy Black Conservancy have a very good Field Guide which will give you all the information required on GBC’s. This will be your number one resource:
https://glossyblack.org.au/resources/
Identification from similar species
Behaviour and breeding
Types of she-oaks in your area
Feeding – how to identify the ‘chewings’ or ‘orts’ that are the discarded chewings from the cones. You may see these before you sight any birds and they can alert you to the possible presence of GBC’s
How you can help – recording data, protecting nesting habitat, planting trees if you’re in a suitable area
Other useful links for information and recording data: