Helping the Biliirrgan
Helping the Glossy Black Cockatoos, Biliirrgan, by providing future feed trees and education for local community.
Capacity building - LP23-033_04
The issue
Biliirrgan, Gumbaynggirr for Glossy Black Cockatoo, or Calyptorhynchus lathami lathami is listed as vulnerable to extinction under both New South Wales and Commonwealth legislation (BC Act 2016, EPBC Act 1999). The Biliirrgan feeds only on the seeds of she-oaks, the Forest Oak (Allocasuarina torulosa) and Black She-Oak (Allocasuarina littoralis). Many Biliirrgan are faithful to certain feed trees, and as a result of the 2019 Black Summer bushfires, much suitable habitat was burnt (DCCEEW 2022). Since the fires, the Glossy Black-Cockatoos have found some refuge in the coastal zone, however this does not fully fill the habitat niche they require.
The solution
Nambucca Valley Landcare partnered with Taronga Zoo to host an educational workshop and to provide over 1,200 feed trees – a mix of forest and black she-oaks. These were to be planted in stands across the Nambucca Valley to help provide future feed trees for the Biliirrgan.
Local Biliirrgan expert, Dr Brian Hawkins, Senior Threatened Species Officer with the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water was the key presentation at the workshop, keeping everyone enthralled with his passion and depth of knowledge of these amazing birds. We also found some recently used feed trees at our workshop location.
The impact
The was a lot of interest in the workshop, with 35 participants coming along for the day. We all learnt about the challenges facing the Biliirrgan - these cockatoos have a very limited diet, eating only the seeds from the she-oaks, and have very restrictive requirements for their nests, in which they only breed one baby every couple of years.
Additionally, through the tree give-away, over 1,200 feed trees were planted across the Nambucca Valley on 23 properties. Each property took between 10 and 100 trees, and these plantings will provide stands of food trees in strategic locations across the Valley for future Biliirrgan.
Key facts
- Biliirrgan is Gumbaynggirr for the Glossy Black Cockatoo
- They only eat the seeds of she-oaks
- They need hollows in tall trees for nesting
- They breed slowly
- Community want to support their future