Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo (south-eastern)
EPBC Status: Endangered
SPRAT Species Profile: Calyptorhynchus banksii graptogyne — Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo (south-eastern)
Found in: South Australia and Victoria
Threatened Species Strategy Scorecards:
Red-tailed Black Cockatoo Year 3 scorecard 2018 (PDF - 479.75 KB)
Red-tailed Black Cockatoo Year 3 scorecard 2018 (DOCX - 406.27 KB)
Year 3 Scorecard Summary (2018)
The single south-eastern population of Red-tailed Black Cockatoos is found in limited numbers in south-east SA and south-west Victoria. The species is highly dependent on seeds from just three tree species, as well as deep hollows in old eucalypt trees for nesting sites that can take centuries to form. It is therefore very sensitive to habitat loss through tree decline caused by steadily drying climatic changes and to disturbance from fire.
Recovery actions over more than a decade have focused on habitat protection and regeneration, with local communities, governments, private landholders and industry partners making significant contributions to landscape rehabilitation and the protection of nesting sites. While many hard-working people have planted thousands of important food trees for Red-tailed Black Cockatoos to connect and expand habitat so that the long-term future of this iconic species can be secured, the number of young birds joining the population in recent years has been falling for reasons that are still unclear.
Further information
- Threatened species strategy
- 20 birds by 2020
- 20 mammals by 2020
- 30 plants by 2020
- Three year review of progress on priority bird and mammal species
Please note that this scorecard is due for review in Year 5 of the Threatened Species Strategy (2020). If you would like to contribute information on this species please provide your contact details to ThreatenedSpeciesCommissioner@awe.gov.au
Photo credit: © Bob McPherson