BirdLife Australia, The Naracoorte News

BirdLife Australia, in partnership with the Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo Recovery Team, is calling for volunteers to join the annual count of the endangered South-eastern Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo on Saturday, May 3. This count offers a chance for the community to contribute to the conservation of this iconic species.

“For over 25 years, volunteers have searched the region’s stringybark forests for flocks of these elusive birds,” said Rachel Farran, project coordinator. “We welcome new participants each year, many of whom return as regular volunteers.”

Volunteers will be assigned one of approximately 60 survey sites in the cockatoo’s range, from Nelson to Little Desert National Park in Victoria, and Mount Gambier to Keith in South Australia. At each site, volunteers will be asked to drive slowly and stop at intervals to listen for the cockatoos’ distinctive ‘karak-karak’ call.

Landholders with stringybark forests are encouraged to participate by checking their own properties on the day.

“This year’s count is especially important due to the impact of the fire season and dry weather on food availability for the birds,” Rachel explained.

Although the count is set to coincide with Australia’s federal election, volunteers are still encouraged to participate as every sighting matters. It is feasible to survey your site before or after voting on the day, or to attend an early voting centre.

No prior bird survey experience is necessary.

“All you need is a willingness to learn what Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos look and sound like,” Rachel added. “They can be easily confused with the more common Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo, but you can hear the difference between the two species on our website at www.redtail.com.au.”

A training session will be held on the morning of the count at the information shelter in Casterton, and an online training video is also available. The main goal is to locate large flocks of Red-tailed Black-Cockatoos for future monitoring.

These flock counts are critical for assessing breeding success and gauging the overall health of the population. Last year, volunteers helped spot 1,303 birds. This year’s goal, as always, is to surpass that number.

To help, anyone who spots a Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo before the count is encouraged to submit their sightings by calling 1800 262 062, emailing redtail@birdlife.org.au, or visiting the website. Sightings will help us with volunteer placement on the day to maximise the success of the count.

Participating is simple—just bring a survey partner or group, binoculars, a love for the outdoors, and a vehicle (preferably 4WD).

For more information on how to participate or submit sightings, visit www.redtail.com.au.

This article appeared in The Naracoorte News, 23 April 2025.