Rare Black Cockatoo Chick has hatched near our latest community
Well into building our new clubhouse, we’ve had some exciting news from just down the road. A Forest Red-tailed Black Cockatoo chick has hatched in an artificial nesting hollow in a reserve near our development, a rare and important breeding success for a threatened species.
A home built for the future
The chick was found by Landcare SJ, the environmental consultancy we’ve engaged to help protect the local flora and fauna throughout construction of the development. It was discovered in a Cockatube, a purpose-built artificial nesting hollow designed to replace the natural tree hollows lost to land clearing.
These hollows matter more than they might seem. Forest Red-tailed Black Cockatoos can take well over a hundred years to form their own nesting sites in old-growth trees, so artificial hollows like the Cockatube give the species a fighting chance in areas where that old growth is gone. The Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale has supported the Cockatube program since it began in 2024, and this chick is a real sign that the effort is paying off.
“Well into development of our clubhouse, we were excited to learn of a baby black cockatoo chick in one of our chick homes in a nearby reserve,” said Darryl Marshall, CEO of Edenlife. “It’s a proud moment for our team, and a great example of what’s possible when development and conservation work hand in hand.”
Getting to know the newest local
Dr Andrew Batty, Senior Environmental Co-ordinator at Landcare SJ, estimates the chick is nine to ten weeks old and close to leaving the nest.
“The chick is only a week or two from leaving the nest,” Dr Batty said. “We estimate it to be 9 to 10 weeks old.”
To mark the occasion, Black Cockatoo specialist Rick Dawson visited the site to inspect the nest and fit the chick with a leg band. That small step means researchers can identify the bird for the rest of its life, building a picture of its movements, breeding and survival over time — valuable data for a species under real pressure.
Why this matters
Forest Red-tailed Black Cockatoos are listed as a threatened species, and a successful wild breeding event like this one is rare. It’s a strong signal that thoughtful conservation measures can genuinely help a species recover, even in areas experiencing urban growth.
For us, it’s a reminder of why we take this work seriously. Building a community people are proud to call home shouldn’t come at the expense of the wildlife that was there first — and stories like this one show that the two can go hand in hand.
We’re grateful to Landcare SJ for their work on the ground, and to the Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale for their continued support of the Cockatube program since 2024.
Media courtesy of Landcare SJ.