Published on Friday, 20 March 2026 at 3:56:10 PM
The Shire recently held a workshop calling on citizen scientist to learn more about our black cockatoos and get involved with the Great Cocky Count – the largest survey of Black-Cockatoos in WA.
Participant Rachel Green shared her experience with the recount below.
What an event! We had a packed house, expert speakers galore, care for the kids, and the star attraction – a real Baudin’s cockatoo.
Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Conservation Centre explained the valuable work their volunteers do and shocked us by explaining how ravens pluck out cockatoos’ tail feathers and kill them. We were encouraged to keep lids on rubbish bins and not feed ravens. Princess Rex, the beautiful Baudin’s Cockatoo, sat at the front of the room throughout the whole event – eating. She was the top celebrity and it was wonderful to be up close to such a magnificent bird.
Merryn Pryor, Birdlife’s WA Black-Cockatoo Project Co-ordinator explained the importance of the Cocky Count on April 12th 2026. She asked how many people had already done the Cocky Count. A few hands went up. Later, when asked how many would now join the next count, many more hands went up – a sure sign of the success of this event. To do the Cocky Count is simple: register, be given a roost to monitor, go to the site early evening, stay there for 30 minutes, count how many Cockatoos are roosting, then submit your findings to Birdlife. Easy and so important. Register by 22nd March here.
As if this wasn’t enough, ReWild Perth then gave us practical tips on relevant plants for cockatoos, such as Banksias, Hakeas, Grevilleas and Marris. Check out ReWild Perth here. Finally, Simon Cherriman enthralled us with his success stories of providing nest boxes for cockatoos.
As a bonus the super calm, creative and kind Cathy Levett was on standby to look after the children. And what a great job she did. Hopefully word will spread and more children will come to future events.
Thanks to Shire of Mundaring's Land for Wildlife Officer Dani Crichton for all the amazing work she put into organising such an educational, inspiring and superb event. Make sure you register for the cocky count.
Back to All News