Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
As a result of extensive loss of feeding and breeding habitat, very rapid and continuing declines over the past three generations have been detected and further declines are almost certain. As a result, the species is classified as Endangered.
Population justification
The total population of Carnaby's Black-Cockatoo was estimated at 40,000 individuals in 2013 based on the expert opinion of the members of the Carnaby’s Cockatoo Recovery Team members, but possibly <10,000–60,000 (Mawson and Johnstone 1997, Department of Parks and Wildlife 2013). Overall the population is estimated to be in the range 20,000 to 52,000 with a best estimate of 34,000, which is also based on annual citizen science survey data (Peck et al. 2019).
Trend justification
Historically, there has been a major loss of feeding and breeding habitat (Saunders 1990, Saunders & Ingram 1995), mostly from the 1960s to the early 1980s, but lag effects will have meant losses continued since the beginning of the current three generation window. Modelling of the Perth population (Williams et al. 2017), which may be relevant to the whole population, suggests that further rapid declines are likely on current trajectories. There is, however, some disagreement about current trends, partly because of statistical issues arising from increasing knowledge of roost sites, individual birds moving between roosts and increasing observer effort (Craig 2017, Peck et al. 2017, Potts 2018, Caley et al. 2018, Williams et al. 2018, Peck et al. 2019). Overall it is thought that the population has likely declined by >50%–79% over the last three generations and ongoing deterioration in habitat condition suggest declines should also be projected for the future although there is some uncertainty about current trends. Nonetheless, the species is thought very likely to have halved (or more) since the start of the last three generation period and is very likely to halve again within the next three generations.
Carnaby's Black-cockatoos are endemic to south-western Australia, occurring in a broad arc from Kalbarri in the north to Esperance in the south-east (Department of Parks and Wildlife 2013). However, there is a substantial break in the genetic structure of the population north of Albany that has developed since most of the species' breeding habitat there was cleared from the 1950s-1980s (White et al. 2014). Most breeding occurs between Three Springs and Ravensthorpe with the birds flying to the coast after breeding, but, after loss of a third of its breeding habitat between the 1970s and 1990s (Saunders and Ingram 1995), increasing numbers are now breeding at sites in the west and south-west (Johnstone et al. 2008, Johnstone and Kirkby 2019). However, the area occupied continues to contract, particularly as a result of continuing climate change and urban development (Saunders et al. 1985, Department of Parks and Wildlife 2013).
It forages in woodland, shrubland and heathland, usually breeding in areas receiving 350-700 mm annual average rainfall (Saunders 1974, 1980). Flocks of non-breeding birds then move to coastal areas, where pine plantations have become important feeding and roosting sites since the 1930s (Saunders 1980, Department of Environment and Conservation, Western Australia 2012). It eats seeds of Hakea, Grevillea, Banksia (which now includes Dryandra), Allocasuarina, Eucalyptus, but also feeds on the seeds of weeds and exotic pines, insect larvae and nectar (Saunders 1974b, 1980, 1982, 1990, Department of Environment and Conservation, Western Australia 2012). The species has also been recorded damaging persimmon and nut crops and the shoots of trees in orchards (Department of Environment and Conservation, Western Australia 2012). Its breeding success is dependent on the presence of heathland feeding areas within 12 km of its nesting habitat (Department of Environment and Conservation, Western Australia 2012, Saunders et al. 2014a, Saunders and Ingram 1987, Saunders 1982). It nests in hollows in large eucalypts, primarily salmon gum E. salmonophloia and wandoo E. wandoo. It is also now frequently found nesting in marri Corymbia calophylla, jarrah E. marginate, tuart E. gomphocephala and karri E. diversicolor forests (Saunders 1979a, Department of Environment and Conservation, Western Australia 2012). It is a long-lived species; females appear not to breed until they are at least four years old (Saunders 1982, 1986, Saunders and Ingram 1998), and the oldest known female was at least 25 in 2009 (Saunders et al. 2011a) and subsequently 30 in 2014 (Saunders et al. unpublished data) and the oldest known male was 34 when found dead in 2008 (Saunders and Dawson 2009, Saunders et al. 2011). Observations suggest that pairs remain together until the death of one of the partners (Saunders 1982). The eggs are usually laid between early July and late September (Saunders 1990, Saunders et al. 2013), with timing of egg-laying being strongly influenced by rainfall in the first half of autumn (Saunders et al. 2013). Egg laying may continue into October or November (Saunders and Ingram 1998, Saunders et al. 2013). Less than half of the nest hollows available in an area of breeding habitat may remain unoccupied due to aggressive interactions between females during the selection and preparation of hollows (Saunders 1982). It is known that some females return to the same nest hollows in successive years provided they have been successful the previous breeding season, and the hollow is unoccupied when they return to breed (Saunders 1982, 1990). The species usually lays two eggs on average up to eight days apart. The second to hatch usually dies within 48 hours (Saunders 1982, Saunders et al. 2014a). In good seasons experienced females may fledge both nestlings (Saunders et al. 2014a). The incubation period is 28-29 days (Saunders 1979b, 1982). Successful fledging of two chicks occurs in up to 6% of nesting attempts (Saunders et al. 2014a). Juveniles remain with their parents until they return to the breeding area at the start of the following season, and in some cases may associate with their parents for longer (Saunders 1982). This behaviour may be linked with the acquisition of knowledge and skills required for foraging (Saunders 1982). The egg-laying season has lengthened as a result of climate change (Saunders et al. 2020b) with no effect on nestling growth rates or nestling body condition.
The primary reason for the decline in population has been the removal of breeding and feeding habitat, initially in the wheatbelt used for breeding but more recently on the coastal plain which is largely used by non-breeding birds (Richards et al. 2020). Remaining wheatbelt habitat is fragmented, threatened by rising soil salinity, weed invasion, Phytophthora cinnamomi dieback, and fire (Saunders 1990; Saunders and Ingram 1998) with little regeneration of nest trees for >60 years because of grazing by sheep and rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus (Saunders 1979; Saunders et al. 1982, 2003, 2014b). Food plant productivity, fire regimes and nest recruitment are all likely to be less favourable as rainfall declines, temperature increases, and drought is more frequent and intense as the climate changes (P. Mawson unpublished, in Saunders et al. 2021). The availability of freshwater for drinking may also limit numbers in dry years, given current trends in water availability in south-western waterways (Barron et al. 2012). Galahs Eolophus roseicapilla, Little Corellas Cacatua sanguinea and introduced Long-billed Corella Cacatua tenuirostris and European honey bees Apis mellifera compete for remaining hollows (Johnstone and Kirkby 1999; Johnstone et al. 2010; Saunders and Doley 2019). Nest-robbing for the bird trade is now thought to be infrequent but has damaged nest hollows (Saunders et al. 1985; Mawson and Johnstone 1997). Most feeding habitat in the wheatbelt has either been cleared or is too distant from breeding habitat to be used when breeding (Saunders et al. 1985; Saunders et al. 2014a). Less has been cleared in the jarrah forest. While birds feed at rehabilitated bauxite mines eight years after rehabilitation (Lee et al. 2013) despite disturbance from forestry activities and mining, such areas lack nest hollows. Lowland, coastal plain habitat is under intense pressure, partly because urban development is removing banksia woodland and partly because most of the large Gnangara-Pinjar-Yanchep pine plantation, which has sustained non-breeding birds for several decades, has been reduced from 30,000 ha to 5,000 ha (Stock et al. 2013; Johnston et al. 2020) and the remaining trees, which support 70% of the Perth-Peel population in winter, will be cleared by 2025 at the current clearance rate of 1000 ha/year (A Peck unpublished). Other causes of death that may affect population trends include road-kills (Saunders et al. 2011), being shot by landholders for damaging nut crops (Pitman et al. 2007), hindlimb paralysis potentially caused by ingestion of organophosphates (Le Souëf et al. 2020), heat waves, and hailstorms (Saunders et al. 2011). Given market prices and that captive birds have low rates of breeding success, illegal poaching also poses a threat to the species as eggs and nestlings are taken from the wild for use in avicultural markets (White 2011).
Conservation Actions Underway
The Department of Parks and Wildlife, with the support of Denis Saunders, continues to monitor the breeding population at Coomallo Creek (Saunders and Ingram 1998, Saunders et al. 2013, 2014a,b). They are currently providing artificial hollows in the Coomallo Creek study area, and there are now 62 artificial hollows available. In the breeding season of 2015 artificial hollows provided 40% of available hollows and 54.5% of breeding attempts were made in artificial hollows (Saunders and Dawson unpublished data). The Department of Parks and Wildlife are installing artificial hollows in a number of breeding areas in the northern and southeastern populations. CITES Appendix II. BirdLife Australia, with the support of the Department of Parks and Wildlife, carries out annual roost surveys in the Perth region (Kabat et al. 2012). In 2002, a Recovery Plan was put in place by the Department of Environment and Conservation (Cale 2003). A revised recovery plan has been completed (Department of Environment and Conservation, Western Australia 2012). BirdLife Australia (formerly Birds Australia) instigated its Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoo Recovery Project in 2000 (Garnett et al. 2011). The project works with local communities in south-west Australia to collect important data, raise awareness and manage important habitat. The species is protected from hunting and persecution by law (Department of Environment and Conservation, Western Australia 2012). Management actions completed or under way include the identification and protection of significant breeding areas, particularly stands of E. salmonophloia and E. wandoo, protection and maintenance of known nests, erection of more than 210 artificial nest hollows, re-establishment of feeding habitat, notably with Banksia, cooperation between conservation authorities and the avicultural industry, including improvement of husbandry techniques for keeping the species in captivity, management of captive-breeding stock and refinement of DNA fingerprinting in order to identify the source of all captive birds, distinguish any subpopulations and determine any loss of genetic diversity within regions or subpopulations (White et al. 2014). Advice sheets have been prepared on black cockatoo survey methods, development referral guidelines, use of artificial hollows – all of which are available at a single source (Department of Parks and Wildlife 2016). BirdLife Western Australia have written to the government about the Green Growth Plan and amendments needed to secure the future of this species in Perth (Douglas & Peck 2016) and have formally requested that a moratorium on clear-felling of the Gnanagara pine plantations be considered by the Western Australian Government (Vine & Howard 2014).
Conservation Actions Proposed
Monitor population trends through regular surveys. Obtain robust estimates of adult and juvenile survival rates. Identify breeding locations across the range to obtain robust estimates of total population size, extent and quality of breeding habitat, and any trends in breeding sites and breeding success and model nest, food and water resources needed at the landscape scale to maximise breeding success. Improve understanding of annual bird/subpopulation movement patterns across the landscape and determine the effect of coastal habitat loss on breeding productivity. Monitor rates of habitat loss and degradation throughout its range. Develop methods to encourage better recruitment of tree species like Wandoo and Salmon Gum to provide future nesting opportunities in 100–200 years. Quantify the level and extent of capture for trade. Continue restoration of habitat for breeding birds. Create native habitat corridors to link areas of native vegetation, especially in extensively cleared agricultural areas such as the Western Australian wheatbelt (Saunders 1990). Satisfy avicultural demand with a collaborative captive-breeding programme. Protect and manage non-breeding, feeding and roosting habitat. Protect nesting trees, erect artificial hollows at locations where nest hollows are considered a limiting resource and promote regeneration by exclusion of livestock and rabbits (Department of Environment and Conservation, Western Australia 2012). Identify the reasons for hindlimb paralysis syndrome and the impacts of herbicide and pesticide ingestion on adult condition/survival and juvenile recruitment. Work with land managers and stakeholders to create food sources for birds (e.g. planting banksia woodland species, canola crops and pine trees) and carry out other conservation actions. Reduce losses from culling and pesticide ingestion as appropriate.
54-56 cm. Large, black cockatoo. Adult male has large black bill, erectile crest, white patch on ear-coverts and white panels in tail. Female similar except patch on ear-coverts slightly bigger and yellowish white and bill is bone-coloured rather than black or greyish black. Juvenile similar to adult female. Similar spp. May be confused with Long-billed Black-cockatoo C. baudinii, but calls slightly different and tip of upper mandible much shorter, and appears broader when seen head-on, although good views are necessary. Distinguished from Red-tailed Black-cockatoo C. banksii by white panels in tail. Voice Generally noisy with several calls, loudest and most frequent is wailing wy-lah.(C. baudinii similar but sightly 'clipped'). Hints Formerly widespread in the Western Australian wheatbelt and on Swan Coastal Plain. Also occurs in forested areas, overlapping in distribution with C. baudinii. Usually seen in small groups, sometimes large flocks.
Text account compilers
Berryman, A., Vine, J., Taylor, J., McClellan, R., Garnett, S., Allinson, T, Benstead, P., Symes, A.
Contributors
Burbidge, A.H., Chapman, T., Mawson, P. & Saunders, D.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Carnaby's Black-cockatoo Zanda latirostris. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/carnabys-black-cockatoo-zanda-latirostris on 22/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 22/12/2024.