The NSW Saving our Species (SoS) program is calling for community volunteers to become cockatoo counters and be part of the Great Inland Glossy Count this November.
Senior Project Officer at the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), Adam Fawcett said anyone could join the Count.
“Bird lovers, citizen scientists or anyone with an interest in this beautiful threatened species, are needed to survey glossy black cockatoo populations at three key sites around inland NSW,” Mr Fawcett said.
“Listed as vulnerable in NSW, glossies are easily spotted with their distinctive red markings and this cockatoo count will help our scientists understand more about this threatened bird,” he said.
Mr Fawcett said the count was part of a wider project to conserve the species at three key sites, the Pilliga Forests, Goonoo National Park and Goobang National Park.
“We are asking volunteers to setup at their survey site an hour or so before dusk and wait as glossy black cockatoos fly in for water,” he said.
“The only requirements are the ability to make your way to a dam allocated by the Saving our Species team and to bring a pair of binoculars, a comfy chair and a notepad.”
Mr Fawcett said family members were encouraged to register to volunteer together and would be stationed at one dam on their chosen weekend to count glossy black cockatoos as they arrived at known watering holes.
“It is a pretty amazing thing to see a threatened species in the wild and we love that we are able to give people this opportunity to get involved in threatened species conservation,” he said.
Prospective volunteers will need to pre-register and follow COVID safety guidelines.
Registering can be made at the Department of Planning Industry and Environment’s volunteer portal at this PS News link.
