Nesting help for endangered birds

Nesting help for endangered birds

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The City of Armadale recently installed 11 new artificial nest hollows throughout the swan coastal plain in a hope to provide a home for endangered black cockatoos.

Two hollows, often referred to as cockatubes, were installed in the city’s administration centre car park.

Armadale mayor Henry Zelones said the city was well placed geographically and ecologically to assist in the conservation and recovery of endangered and threatened species of black cockatoos.

“In particular to support breeding habitat for the forest red tailed black cockatoo and Baudin’s cockatoo,” he said.

“Cockatubes have been documented as having successfully been used by black cockatoos to fledge young.”

Mr Zelones said in 2012 the city installed 23 cockatubes in bushland reserves in the Darling scarp.

“Following consultation with local black cockatoo expert Tony Kirkby suitable nesting trees in the city’s swan coastal plain (SCP) reserves were investigated in February 2015,” he said.

“There has been increasing evidence of the movement of all three species of black cockatoos onto the SCP for foraging.

“The city commissioned landcare Serpentine Jarrahdale to create the cockatubes using the latest design specifications developed and approved by the Department of Parks and Wildlife.

“Forest red tailed black cockatoos have been seen frequently foraging in lemon-scented gums in the City of Armadale car park. The artificial nesting hollows have been placed in these trees with hopes of providing nests for these birds.”

The city could assist in research and provide habitat supplementation to assist in the recovery of the birds.