Published on Monday, 13 January 2020 at 3:12:12 PM
The City of Greater Geraldton has joined forces with the community to manage the ever-growing numbers of Corellas returning to the region every year.
The white cockatoo causes thousands of dollars of damage in the City to buildings, sporting grounds, trees and public assets leaving local sporting clubs, businesses, organisations and the community wearing the repair costs.
City of Greater Geraldton CEO Ross McKim said a collaborative approach to manage and reduce the number of birds in the City region was the only way forward.
“The City has joined forces with the Geraldton Cemetery Board, City Centre Business owners, Geraldton Tennis Club, Geraldton Golf Club and Sporting Shooters Association to implement the City’s recently adopted Corella Management Plan,” he said.
“The group is working collectively with farmers to identify locations where the birds gather and to gain access to these sites so they can be culled by members of the Sporting and Shooters Association who are licenced to operate in this space.”
Corella Management group member Warren Kalajzich said the next step in reducing Corella numbers requires continued support from the landowners.
“Culling corellas is a complex problem and now that they are back we need to act and distract them before they settle in for three or four months of destructive behaviour, noise and debris,” he said.
“The most positive action so far has been the engagement of the Sporting and Shooters Association to reduce numbers but we also need support from the farming community and others to disrupt their breeding program in the hinterlands.”
In the last six weeks, 80 of the highly mobile birds have already been culled.
The City has also successfully trialled new gas guns that are being used in the City’s annual Corella Relocation Program.
The Relocation Program, which began in 2015, has used firecrackers and percussion cartridges to scare the birds and move them on.
Farmers interested in reducing the number of Corellas on their land can access free assistance via www.farmerassist.com.au
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