GLOSSY BLACK COCKATOO

Nestled within the coastal woodlands and open forests of eastern Australia lives one of our nation’s rarest birds - the glossy black cockatoo.

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With its sleek black plumage and vibrant red tail feathers, this stunning animal captivates the hearts of birdwatchers around Australia. It’s the smallest of five black cockatoo species found in Australia, but their bright plumage makes them hard to miss. Male glossies have a black body, a brown-black head, and a vivid red or orange-red tail. Females glossies (known as flossies) have bright yellow patches on their heads and tails, the latter tinged with red and black detailing. Both males and females have bulbous bills that are slightly curved and very tough for cracking open seeds. These remarkable birds live in woodlands, open forests, and coastal regions around southeast Australia, with an isolated population on Kangaroo Island, where casuarina trees, commonly known as she-oaks, are found. Serving as their main source of food and nesting sites, these trees play a crucial role in the glossy black cockatoos' life cycle. While she-oak cones are their main food source, glossies eat seeds from other trees, like eucalypts and acacias. During times of limited she-oak availability, these resourceful birds are even known to eat insect larvae. Despite its remarkable ability to adapt, the southeastern glossy black cockatoo is listed as Vulnerable, while the population on Kangaroo Island are Endangered. Fewer than 8,000 glossy black cockatoos exist in the wild, and deforestation, climate change and invasive species all pose significant threats to the survival of this iconic bird.

Barry, the first male glossy black-cockatoo sighted in the Northern Rivers region after a search of almost three months. © Locky Cooper / Pixofnature.com

Species Bio

Common Name Glossy black cockatoo Scientific Name Calyptorhynchus lathami Indigenous Name tiwu - Kaurna (SA) garada, garal - Dharug (NSW) bilirr - Gamilaraay (NSW) yuyang - Wiradjuri (NSW) wamburun - Ngunnawal (ACT/NSW) wayilayn - western Bundjalung (QLD) Ponponturong - Djabwurrung (VIC) biliirrgan - Gumbaynggirr (NSW)

Stats Length: 46-50 cm

Weight: 450-650 grams

Distribution: Found throughout coastal woodlands and in-land forests in eastern Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, with an isolated population on Kangaroo Island in South Australia.

Population: Fewer than 8,000 Status South-eastern glossy black cockatoo: Vulnerable (EPBC Act) Kangaroo Island glossy black cockatoo: Endangered (EPBC Act)

Why glossy black cockatoos matter

Glossy black cockatoos carry deep cultural significance for Aboriginal Australians. This beloved species features heavily in songlines, Dreaming stories and is a vital part of many language groups’ Traditional Ecological Knowledge. The town of Nowra is named after the Yuin name for black cockatoo. Mount Cambewarra is the site of the black cockatoo’s Creation story, where a white cockatoo flew over a major bushfire and turned black. Glossies play a vital ecological role in their environment. Their presence can be a sign of healthy, biodiverse forest as they need old eucalypts with hollows to nest in and casuarina seeds to feed on, all within flying distance. As seed-eaters, glossies act as forest gardeners, occasionally pruning branches while eating seeds from cones. Despite its ecological and cultural importance, the future of this iconic bird hangs in the balance. With as few as 8,000 glossy black cockatoos left in the wild, urgent action is needed to protect them. By safeguarding glossies and their environment, we can benefit the many other animals that rely on old-growth forests.

Threats

Deforestation

One major obstacle for glossy black cockatoos is habitat loss for agricultural and urban developments. In South Australia, these cockatoos disappeared from the mainland in the 1970s because of extensive tree-clearing. Only 2% of the she-oak woodland habitat that once covered thousands of hectares in the Fleurieu Peninsula remains today. These trees are crucial for the survival of glossy black cockatoos, and if this rate of deforestation continues, we risk losing this iconic bird forever.

Bushfires

Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of bushfires across Australia. The 2019-20 wildfires wiped out about 50% of glossy black cockatoo habitat, with up to 75% of the birds on Kangaroo Island impacted by fire. She-oak trees are highly vulnerable to fire, and glossy black cockatoo populations have struggled to recover since the fires. As the bushfires grow in frequency, glossies now face dwindling sources of food and shelter, making their recovery even harder.

Predators & competition

Glossy black cockatoos are threatened by a range of predators, including feral cats, birds of prey and even snakes. Competition for food and nesting space makes survival even tougher, with animals like galahs and possums also vying for these resources. Additionally, glossy black cockatoos have to cope with disruptions and harassment from other animals, such as dogs, which can interfere with their nesting and feeding behaviours.

A pair of Kangaroo Island glossy black-cockatoos in unburnt habitat in Cygnet Park. © © WWF-Aus / Paul Fahy

Did you know glossy black cockatoos mate for life?

Glossy black cockatoos are monogamous, meaning each adult bird pairs with one partner for life.

They typically lay one egg every one to two years and, occasionally, a second one if the first doesn’t survive. The female incubates the egg for around 30 days while the male provides food and protection, ensuring the well-being of the female and the egg until it hatches.

Discover more fascinating facts about the glossy black cockatoo in this blog.

Young glossy black cockatoo - When her mother returned Firefly would launch into vigorous calls begging to be fed

When her mother returned Firefly would launch into vigorous calls begging to be fed © pixofnature.com/ Locky Cooper

Northern Rivers

The 2019-20 wildfires impacted as much as 50% of glossy black cockatoo habitat in NSW’s Northern Rivers region. Without she-oaks cones to eat or old tree hollows to nest in, glossy black cockatoo numbers plummeted, and it became clear they needed help to survive. WWF-Australia supported the Glossies Northern Rivers team in surveying the forest to find appropriate measures to help this iconic bird recover. By identifying remaining pockets of habitat, installing artificial nesting hollows, and planting food trees, signs of a new generation of glossies were picked up after just a few months.

WWF-Australia is also supporting work on Minyumai Indigenous Protected Areas (IPA) for glossy black cockatoos. We've supported the installation of seven nest boxes in the region that are monitored regularly by the ranger team. This progress is a symbol of hope for the next generation of glossy black cockatoos in the Northern Rivers.

WWF-Australia and Greening Australia, with the help of RAW Group are planting Glossy Black Cockatoo habitat trees - Sheoaks, on a farmer's property (Ed Vercoe) down at Carrickalinga, South Australia. © WWF-Australia / think Mammoth

Kangaroo Island

WWF-Australia is supporting the recovery of glossy black cockatoo populations on Kangaroo Island in a number of ways. Our initiatives include conducting a glossy black cockatoo census to gather vital population data, supporting the discovery of cockatoo chicks post-bushfires, planting and preserving she-oak trees on the island, and implementing innovative artificial nest boxes to mimic natural nesting sites and provide shelter. In addition to this, WWF-Australia and Greening Australia have joined forces with local landholders to plant more than 19,000 trees in the Fleurieu Peninsula, aiming to provide food and nesting spots for glossy black cockatoos on mainland South Australia. The 2019-20 bushfires severely affected the forests on Kangaroo Island, the last haven for the South Australian subspecies of glossy black cockatoo. The fires destroyed up to 54% of their feeding habitat and 38.5% of known nests on the island. Planting these trees will give South Australia’s glossy black cockatoos a stronghold on the mainland, aiming to boost their numbers and spread the population.

A male glossy black-cockatoo in flight= displaying red tail feathers

Regenerative Country

Regenerative Country is our program to protect and recover species and habitats. Our vision is to transform Australia from a deforestation to a reforestation nation. We will work with communities to protect and regenerate vital landscapes and species here and abroad. One of our key goals in this program is to protect culturally significant species, including glossy black cockatoos.

Learn more about our strategy

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