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Glossy Black-Cockatoos Are Nationally Listed As A Vulnerable Species

Australia’s Glossy Black-Cockatoos are nationally listed as a ‘vulnerable’ species, which means they could go extinct at some point if measures are not taken to protect them and their habitat. 

The Glossy Black-Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami), which are known as ‘Glossies’ in Australia, is threatened by declining populations across Australia, mostly caused by loss of habitat. 

These birds, which are found across eastern Australia and Kangaroo Island, lay only one egg per clutch and breed every two years, which increases the survival risks for this species. Habitat loss fuelled by climate change, bushfires, droughts and habitat clearing is a major threat. 

Find out more below about how Conservation Volunteers Australia is working with partners to restore natural habitat for Glossies.

Saving Glossies Through Habitat Restoration

Australia’s bushfires in 2019 and 2020 had a profound impact on many species of plants and animals, including the Glossy Black-Cockatoo. By destroying much of its natural habitat, immediate conservation efforts were needed to help ensure its survival.

Conservation Volunteers Australia, with generous support from local landholder Mark Tidswell, has been able to make impressive strides in creating new habitat to support Glossies, providing a source of food, shelter, and place for breeding.

This generous support has enabled CVA to collaborate with over 75 dedicated volunteers to plant over 3,000 trees across six locations in the Tweed, Byron and Ballina shires. Not only is this habitat restoration work good for Glossies, but it’s helping to restore native biodiversity too.

Saving the Glossy Black-Cockatoo requires even more work to be done. To save species, we need data and monitoring regarding population numbers, distribution and threats. It’s also important to collect data about spatial mapping of vegetation, fire history, land use and distribution of Glossies’ favoured food sources such as the forest she-oak and the black she-oak trees.

Conservation Volunteers Australia is working with many other organisations to help save Glossies. This includes Brunswick Valley Landcare, Tweed Shire Council, Byron Shire Council, the Glossy Black Conservancy, Glossy Squad Northern Rivers, and others.

Watch this video of Aunty Delta Kay explaining how Glossies are under threat and need our help and support:

Planting trees for Glossies: CVA volunteers take action for nature

Glossies are actually quite fussy eaters. Their favored food trees are the forest she-oak and the black she-oak, and much of this habitat was destroyed in the Black Summer bushfires.

That’s why it’s important that we rapidly plant new trees as a food source for Glossies, while also creating spaces for them to live and reproduce.

Through generous support in the way of donations, we’ve been able to plant 3000 new trees across six locations.

We encourage everyone to consider planting trees for Glossies – whether in your Nature Block, or by supporting CVA in planting these trees, through donations.

👉 Read more about Glossies, the threats they face, and what CVA is doing to make a difference.

Help Save Glossies Today!

🌟 You can help save Glossy Black-Cockatoos in Australia by donating to Conservation Volunteers Australia. 🌟

You can also support Glossies by joining CVA as a corporate partner, powering our conservation volunteering activities and events.

Together with our volunteers and partners, we’re planting trees to help save Glossies and build back their natural environments upon which they depend for survival.

Join us in building back nature for conservation!