Three cockatoos were spotted in nesting boxes in Kangaroo Island post the ruinous bushfires. This species is native to this island. Around 75% of its population lived within 21,000 hectares of land that was charred due to the bushfires.
The birds were recovered from artificial boxes in the Lathami Conservation Park. Surprisingly, there are few healthy pockets of sheoak trees which managed to outlive the flames. The trees are providing the much needed nutrition required for these birds to survive.
According to reports, the island housed about 370 glossy black cockatoos prior to the bushfires. The affected area was home to 93 out of 130 artificial nesting boxes. Most of the birds’ pairs rely on these boxes, so it is necessary to create more boxes where there is food supply.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is also observing cockatoos that escaped the fire to Cygnet Park, where several pairs were observing feeding and mating.
The artificial nest boxes will be beneficial during the cockatoo breeding season that spans from the Spring to Summer Months (February to July).
