There is an unmistakable sound that precedes a flock of Western Australia’s iconic Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo. The endangered black cockatoo is a very social bird, endemic to southwest Western Australia. Large-scale clearing for farming has fragmented much of its habitat, particularly mature eucalypts such as salmon gum and wandoo that have suitable hollows for nesting.
The Great Cocky Count (GCC) is a long-term citizen science survey and the biggest single survey for black cockatoos in Western Australia. On one night in autumn, volunteers monitor known roost sites and count black cockatoos as they come in to their evening roosts. Records submitted from across the southwest provide a snapshot of black-cockatoo populations, and over time this has helped @birdlifewa quantify the changes in black-cockatoo numbers.
In preparation for 2022’s Great Cocky Count, @SouthCoastNRM are hosting a workshop in Esperance on February 7th. During this workshop you will learn about black cockatoo biology, ecology, behaviour and threats. Most importantly you will learn how the Great Cocky Count works and what to record during the survey.
To book your ticket to the Great Cocky Count Workshop, visit: https://www.trybooking.com/BWZHC
