‘Tubes’ help cockatoos to breed

More than 20 cockatubes were installed around the Waroona-Harvey region last week, including one at the Waroona District High School.

The installation follows a partnership between BirdLife Australia and the Alcoa Foundation to conserve threatened black-cockatoos.

Over the next three years the partnership will see more than 24 artificial hollow cockatubes installed on private properties to aid black cockatoo breeding.

BirdLife Australia Carnaby's black cockatoo project coordinator Adam Peck said breeding hollows were in short supply.

“We have lost a lot of the natural hollows through land clearing, fire and trees getting old and falling over, but putting these artificial hollows in we are able to help support black cockatoo breeding,” Mr Peck said.

“This is a common breeding area for these birds, and with the recent fire destroying a lot of the natural hollows, we thought this was a really good way we could help support that breeding.

“It’s really good to get the students and kids involved in this kind of project as they will be the decision-makers in the future.

“Hopefully these students will get inspired by this kind of thing and continue to preserve our environment wherever they can.”

Workshops will be held in spring to help educate the public on how they can monitor cockatoo breeding hollows and report breeding activities.