Speaker Rick Dawson from the Rotary Club of Palm Beach.
Black Carnaby Cockatoos Project
Rick spends about 300 hours each year volunteering for the Project, which mainly involves placing artificial hollows in nesting sites to encourage breeding . These cockatoos are endangered so its imperative the community act to preserve these native birds. These nesting sites are monitored and results collated. Palm Beach Rotary Club have been pro active in this project and installed 103 hollows between 2011 and 2018. Initially volunteers learnt about the history of real hollows before embarking on installing the artificial ones. An example of its success can be seen in an area East of Jurien Bay where in 2016 there were 128 breeding attempts and up to 132 nestlings. Today, the success of artificial hollows is greater than natural ones. Borden is another area with 100 artificial hollows showing success in breeding.
These Carnaby cockatoos are becoming endangered due to tree felling, bushfires and road kill. Perth Zoo treated 250 injured cockatoos in 2020.
How can our Club help?
Placing bird baths in the bush away from main roads and outside suburbia.
Purchasing artificial hollows $460-$500 + $200 for installation. They last 50-70 yrs equal to 2 lifelines of cockatoos.
Maintaining and clearing hollows every 3-5yrs.
Visiting Cockatoo sanctuary to identify other ways to protect these species.
