The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) is calling on citizen scientists all over New South Wales to help identify which species are using specially-made glossy black-cockatoo nest boxes.
Threatened Species Officer at DPIE, Lauren Hook said the boxes were installed on Gundungurra lands in the Southern Highlands in May last year, in response to the 2019-20 bushfires.
Ms Hook said anyone with a computer and internet connection could get involved in threatened species conservation by helping to review the images captured in the boxes.
“Through the Saving our Species program, 15 nest boxes were installed across areas of high breeding activity in the Great Western Wildlife Corridor of the Southern Highlands and tablelands to see if our local glossy black-cockatoos are keen to use these nest boxes and what other species may also be using them,” she said.
“Each nest box was fitted with a remote camera to monitor effectiveness at providing breeding shelter/habitat for glossies.
“An incredible 75,000 images have been collected from the nest box trial and we need the help of the community to tell us what they see in some of these images.”
Ms Hook said the nest boxes were monitored using motion sensor cameras to see if glossies or other species of wildlife were using them.
“Listed as vulnerable, glossies are easily spotted with their distinctive red tail markings,” she said.
“This trial will answer some preliminary questions, such as whether or not the nest boxes are effective for glossies in this area and what other species use them.”
Ms Hook said DPIE’s Glossies in the Mist program had partnered with DigiVol, a collaboration between the Australian Museum and the Atlas of Living Australia, to share photos from the nest boxes with the community and invite volunteers to assist with identifying the species within them.
Further information on how to take part in the identification program can be accessed at this PS News link.
