Major Mitchell’s cockatoo or Cacatua leadbeateri
The Major Mitchell’s cockatoo is found in open woodland of semi-arid and arid inland Australia, from south west Queensland and central NSW to southern and northern inland Western Australia. Processes known to threaten this species are illegal collection and habitat loss and fragmentation due to clearing. Possible threatening processes are habitat disturbance and inappropriate fire regimes. Important measures to protect this species include establishing protective buffers excluding clearing and Callitris harvesting around known nest trees; modifying vegetation clearing around feed trees; habitat tree retention; and minimising illegal collection.
Adult Major Mitchell’s cockatoos have a body length of around 35cm. It is a white cockatoo with a washed pink face and breast. At the top of the head is a narrow upswept crest of feathers that is whitish when folded. The crest has bands of scarlet and yellow when extended. In flight the underwing and under tail are a deep pink.
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Habitat and Distribution
The Major Mitchell’s cockatoo inhabits a wide variety of semi-arid and arid inland habitats, provided there is fresh surface water and large hollow trees for nesting. It has been recorded in forest, woodland and shrubland, including mulga, mallee, Acacia, and Callitris associations. It has also been recorded in cropping areas throughout its range. This cockatoo is known to have declined in the eastern and southern parts of its
range. It is found from central New South Wales and south west Queensland to southern and northern inland Western Australia. In Queensland it is usually seen west of a line between Mitchell and St George, occasionally occurring as far east as the western fringe of the Darling Downs.
Conservation Status
The Major Mitchell’s cockatoo is listed as vulnerable under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992. It is not listed as a threatened species under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. It is recognised internationally as least concern under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. A species recovery outline for the Major Mitchell’s cockatoo in the Action Plan for Australian Birds (Garnett et al. 2000) sets out research and management actions needed to support the recovery of the Major Mitchell’s cockatoo.
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Biology and Ecology
The Major Mitchell’s cockatoo is usually seen in pairs or small groups, and sometimes join flocks of galahs and little corellas. It forages on the ground and in the foliage of trees and tall shrubs. The species feeds on seeds, fruits, nuts and tubers from a wide variety of plants including the seeds of Callitris spp. and Acacia spp. Adult pairs mate for life, and occupy permanent breeding territories. Unlike many other cockatoos (e.g. galah and sulphur-crested cockatoo), Major Mitchell’s cockatoo nesting pairs need a large feeding area surrounding the nest, so nests of adjacent pairs are well separated (no closer than 1km in Western Australian studies). The spatial distribution of hollow trees for nest sites is important – they must be present over large areas (hundreds of hectares) rather than concentrated in small patches. Nesting occurs from July to January inclusive. Nests are located in the hollows of eucalypts or dead Callitris spp., where usually three to four eggs are laid. The young leave the nest when they are about eight weeks old. Pairs on average raise less than two young per season.
Threats to the Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo
Since European settlement, nesting and feeding resources have been lost, particularly as a result of forest, woodland and shrub-land clearing for agriculture. The species has also experienced high rates of illegal collection for the illegal bird trade. Low breeding densities and low recruitment levels make the Major Mitchell’s cockatoo vulnerable to threats which reduce the population and/or available breeding habitat.
Specific threats to the Major Mitchell’s cockatoo include:
loss of habitat and habitat fragmentation due to clearing of woodland and shrubland; illegal collection of eggs, adults and nestlings for the illegal bird trade; loss of nesting hollows due to inappropriate fire regimes and/or vegetation clearing; and inappropriate grazing regimes and weed invasion which impede recruitment of trees
for future breeding.
