2017-02-23
Viv Glance
I often see Carnabys Cockatoos flying over my house and I love their distinctive cry. There is something charming about them, and many local residents enjoy sharing the urban landscape with these playful birds.
Research undertaken by Dr Christine Groom shows how these endangered birds have adapted to Perths urban sprawl, and she keeps a blog on her research now shes completed her PhD studies. I recently met with her to find out the importance of her research.
Many of you will know that, over the past fifteen years, a large number of Perth residents have been vocal and persistent in trying to protect Carnabys and the bushland they need to feed on and roost in. Unfortunately, too often trees are considered a hindrance to development and are cut down without much thought.
Election campaigns provide important opportunities for us to highlight public support for these essential, remnant feeding and roosting areas. Trigg Beach, Underwood Avenue and Shenton Park are home to probably the most well-known local bushlands that are currently under threat of development north of the river. The Beeliar Wetlands in the south have been the focus of much campaigning over several years. In recent weeks, many activists have been standing up to halt and hinder further destruction of this important Banksia woodland as the Barnett government ploughs on with its poorly planned Roe 8 road extension. However, Christines research shows that these birds need more than isolated areas of bushland to survive.
The leafy streets and gardens in urban areas are especially important for Carnaby's cockatoos.
“I spent many hours following flocks containing my study birds around the streets of Nedlands. They provide roosting and foraging habitat,” Christine said over coffee at the University of Western Australia, where she completed her PhD. More importantly, her research also shows that Carnabys feed off non-native vegetation to survive. “Liquid amber are a common street tree in this area and provide feeding habitat for the cockatoos. There are also many pecan and macadamia trees in peoples yards, which are popular food sources too.”
Christine tracked many birds and found that they frequently used clumps of mature exotic eucalypts found south of Stirling Highway, and also near Hollywood Hospital and Hollywood Primary School.
For example, she mentioned that the shady trees along the southern boundary of the Nedlands Golf Course are important for the cockatoos to rest in the middle of hot summer days. “There are many bird baths and water features in residents backyards that the cockatoos use to drink, especially just before roosting at night.”
If youve seen a flock of Carnabys Cockatoos youll know they are social birds, and they like to roost communally. But if this threatened species is to survive they must be able to find safe, night-time roosts near to water and food, in addition to nesting sites to raise their young.
But Christine is also concerned about how local government regulations around fire safety are curtailing residents ability to retain trees on their properties.
“I think the regulations are being too enthusiastically applied and its leading to an unnecessary loss of mature trees, which will affect the cockies, and the general health and wellbeing of the community too, in time,” she said.
The Greens Urban Forest Plan demonstrates how we can live in a cooler, healthier city by conserving trees, parks and wetlands. It also honours our place as one of the UNs biodiversity hotspots and home to the worlds oldest continuous culture.
We can be part of the conservation solution to help these beautiful and iconic Western Australian birds to flourish. Planting more street trees, maintaining existing mature trees in parks and gardens, and campaigning both during elections and beyond to retain the small pockets native vegetation left in urban areas, are all essential to the survival of the Carnabys Cockatoo.
What can you do?
Tell voters during a door-knock about the value of planting trees, and saving local mature trees. Ask them to support local bushlands groups such as Save Beeliar Wetlands, Friends of Trigg Beach, Friends of Underwood Avenue or Friends of Shenton Bushland.
National organisations are also working hard on the cockies behalf, such as Conservation Council of WA and Birdlife Australia.
Read more about Christine Grooms research Read her PhD thesis
Header photo: Carnabys drinking from a bird bath. C Groom
Text photo: A Carnabys feeding on liquid amber. C Groom