The Recovery Team

In 1996, a National Recovery Team for the South-eastern Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo was established to guide and coordinate the management and recovery of this endangered bird across its range in South Australian and Victoria.  This lead to the development of a National Recovery Plan for the South-eastern Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo, which sets out the objectives, strategies and actions/activities to be undertaken as part of the recovery process.

Recovery Plan Objective:

• To demonstrate within 5 years a reversal of recent population declines, and to initiate longer-term measures designed to ensure the persistence of a viable breeding population.

Activities for Recovery Plan Implementation:

1. Population monitoring
   Includes coordination and implementation of an annual count to determine the minimum number of birds known to be alive each year, and flock counts to measure breeding success and recruitment of young into the population.  

2. Monitoring threats and taking action to mitigate threats:
   1. protection and restoration of feeding habitat through targeted property management planning;
   2. maintenance of artificial nest sites;
   3.  identification and protection of new nest sites;
   4. fire management and monitoring  to reduce the impact of fire on feeding habitat; and
   5.  monitoring and providing advice on native vegetation clearance applications and appropriate offsets required to protect Red-tail habitat in the future.

3. Community engagement and education on the ecology, threats, conservation management, and recovery of Red-tails for landholders, community volunteers, schools, local government, community groups, government agencies and non-government organisations. 

Today, the Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo Recovery Team has a dynamic membership, with representatives from:

• Birds Australia
• South Australian Farmer’s Federation
• Department of Sustainability and Environment
• Department for Environment and Heritage (South Australia)
• Glenelg Hopkins and Wimmera Catchment Management Authorities
• Conservation Council of South Australia
• South East Natural Resource Management Board
• Local Government
• Greening Australia
• Farming Community
• The University of Queensland
• Adelaide University and
• Forestry SA.

The South-eastern Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo Recovery Program is funded by the Australian Government together with the Victorian and South Australian State Governments through partner agencies including the Wimmera Catchment Management Authority (CMA), Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority (CMA), and the Conservation Council of South Australia (CCSA), with the support of the South East Natural Resources Management Board (SE NRM).  In 2009/10 funding was received from three sources including Caring for our Country, The Victorian Investment Framework and a SA NRM State Competitive Grant.
Birds Australia is responsible for the administration of the Recovery Program and the employment of part time Project Coordinator, Bronwyn Perryman, to coordinate and implement the Recovery Program. This role has a significant community engagement, education and extension focus, and is the first point of contact for landholders and volunteers interested in activities undertaken as part of the Recovery Program.  The Recovery Program also employs a part-time Project Field Biologist, David Williams, to carry out field work and monitoring activities (flock counts, seed crop assessments, artificial maintenance of nest sites etc), research and provide advice and support to stakeholders in relation to fire and habitat management.
Many other researchers provide specialist input to the Recovery Program, including representatives from government and non-government agencies, research institutions, local government, community groups and the farming community.

For more information about the objectives, strategies and actions required to ensure the survival of the Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo for decades to come, view the National Recovery Plan for the South-eastern Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii graptogyne).

Please also see: Background and implementation for the South-eastern Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii graptogyne).

To get involved contact Bronwyn Perryman, Project Coordinator
Freecall 1800 262 062
email rtbc@birdsaustralia.com.au