Natural resource management advisory series : note 2 : Glossy-Black cockatoo feed trees

Abstract

This advisory note examines the ecology, distribution, and conservation status of the Glossy Black-cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami) in North East New South Wales. The species, listed as vulnerable under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995, is the smallest of the black cockatoos with distinctive morphological features including red tail panels and sexual dimorphism. The document details the species' specialized feeding behavior, focusing on its near-exclusive dependence on Allocasuarina and Casuarina species for food, particularly Forest Oak (A. torulosa) and Black Oak (A. littoralis) in coastal regions. The note describes key habitat requirements, including the necessity of hollow-bearing trees for nesting and the species' non-territorial social structure in groups of 2-10 birds. Evidence of feeding activity through characteristic chewed seed cones is discussed as an important indicator of habitat utilization. The advisory note emphasizes the species' decline across its former range in southeastern Australia and provides management recommendations for conservation, particularly the maintenance of She-oak stands and retention of hollow-bearing trees. This document serves as a practical guide for land managers and conservation practitioners in identifying and protecting crucial Glossy Black-cockatoo habitat.