“Bloody” cockatoos – loved/hated, “native”/“introduced”

If you come across corellas in a big city, chances are excellent that you are in Perth or Adelaide, that there a great many of them, they are making a lot of noise, and you can easily see that they are doing a lot of damage.

It is highly likely that the species in question is Cacatua sanguinea, the Little Corella.

Its Latin/“scientific” name means “bloodstained cockatoo” – a reference to its pink markings, between eye and bill.

This species has proved “too adaptable”.

 

Time was when most Australians were fond of corellas…back when the various corella species “knew their place”, and we humans admired their appearance and their playful behaviour.

The different corella species are not so hard to tell apart, but that appears “too difficult” for many journos who write about them – misinformation and anthropomorphic drivel abound.

( Another, recent post will link you to general information about corellas)

 

 

Little Corellas are one of two corella species which have become “pests”.

Although the Little Corella had always been a wide-ranging, flocking, opportunistic bird, its range used to be well north of Perth and southwestern WA, and likewise well north of Adelaide and the Fleurieu Peninsula.

Over the last several decades, however, many Little Corellas have headed south, “invading” the aforementioned (and other) places.

The “invaders” are “native” to both WA and SA, but they truly are newcomers to Perth, Adelaide and places south and east of those cities.

And they are doing damage of many kinds, including to “native” species that actually are native to southwest WA and southern SA. (and other places south of the Little Corellas’ former domain)

Debate has raged, but no “solution” has been found/agreed upon.

Rather too much of the “debate” has been a shouting match: kill the rotten bastards, shoot the bloody lot of them! versus how dare anyone think of killing even one of these lovely creatures!

Click here for an “official” view from WA, and this for an SA one.

This post’s Little Corellas were at the western end of Perth’s Lake Monger, just before the sun disappeared behind the hill/dune behind me at 6.44 pm, 5th December 2020.