On a Wing and a Prayer - ABC Commercial
On a Wing and a Prayer - ABC Commercial
On a Wing and a Prayer - ABC Commercial
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CastCalyptorhynchuslatirostris – Carnaby’scockatoo or shortbilledblack-cockatoo.Carnaby’s cockatoo is endemic to south-westernAustralia <strong>and</strong> is one of five black cockatoo species foundin Australia, <strong>and</strong> one of three in WA. It is a large bird,53–58cm long, weighing between 500 to 800 grams withwhite-b<strong>and</strong>ed tail feathers. Adult males have black bills,red eye rings <strong>and</strong> smallish, dirty white cheek patches.Adult females have bone coloured bills <strong>and</strong> large cleanwhite cheek patches. They do not breed until they areat least four years old <strong>and</strong> may live for between twentyfive<strong>and</strong> fifty years in the wild, in ideal conditions.Carnaby’s cockatoo breeds in the woodl<strong>and</strong>s of thesemi-arid interior of south-western Australia from Julyto December, <strong>and</strong> migrates to coastal areas during thenon-breeding season – following food sources. It feedson the seeds of native shrubs <strong>and</strong> trees <strong>and</strong> introducedpine trees as well as wood-boring insect grubs.Extensive historic clearing of the woodl<strong>and</strong>s <strong>and</strong>kwongan (shrubl<strong>and</strong>s) for broad scale agriculture hasreduced the range <strong>and</strong> abundance of the species,reducing the number of available tree hollows <strong>and</strong> nearbyfood species. Unlike some cockatoos, they do not eatwheat seed. They are also threatened in their summerfeeding <strong>and</strong> roosting grounds by direct human impactssuch as clearing of feeding <strong>and</strong> roosting vegetation,collisions with motor vehicles, poachers <strong>and</strong> orchardistsshooting them to keep them away from crops.Rick Dawson, SeniorInvestigator, Dept.of Environment <strong>and</strong>ConservationRick is a senior wildlife officer in Western Australia withresponsibility for investigations <strong>and</strong> operations on l<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong>sea throughout the state. His responsibilities are as variedas regulating the harvesting of aromatic S<strong>and</strong>alwood trees<strong>and</strong> participating in a team which disentangles large whalesfrom fishing gear during the whale migration season.He specialises in the protection of WA’s threatenedblack cockatoos, which include Carnaby’s, Baudin’s,<strong>and</strong> the Forest red-tailed black cockatoos. Populationshave to be monitored for numbers <strong>and</strong> health; nestingsites maintained <strong>and</strong> protected; sick <strong>and</strong> injured birdsor ‘derelicts’ have to be rescued <strong>and</strong> returned to thewild if possible; research programs involving DNA‘fingerprinting’ <strong>and</strong> microchipping are carried out; <strong>and</strong>the captive breeding program has to be administered.SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 20114
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