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Corellas in the City of Bunbury

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Corella sitting on a string of decorative lighting with trees in the background

Introduced Corellas are an increasing problem in Bunbury. Little Corellas (Cacatua sanguinea sanguinea) and Eastern Long-billed Corellas (Cacatua tenuirostris) are both invasive species known to be destructive, noisy, and out-compete local native species for food and roosting habitat e.g. Western Ringtail Possum and Black Cockatoos.

The damage caused by the corellas is seasonal and tends to occur from late October through to July. It is not uncommon to find flocks of between 200 to 500 birds within Bunbury during this time, impacting infrastructure, the environment and community. 

Little Corellas are a Category 3 Declared Pest under the WA Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 and land holders are required to undertake measures to reduce their impact. 

What the City is doing to manage Corellas

The City has a Little Corella Management Strategy in place which outlines techniques such as trapping at control sites, approved dispersal techniques and identifying opportunities to collaborate with our neighbouring shires. 

The strategy uses a combination of existing methods and investigates new techniques that have not yet been trialed in Bunbury. 

The City is committed to refining and improving its management of introduced corellas to help minimise the impact on our community.

During the 2023-24 season, we asked community to share their Corella observations with us to help identify problematic locations and impacts to the community. Thank you to those who participated, your feedback will support adaptive management of Corella’s going into the next (2024-25) season.

We will call for more community feedback again this season (from October 2024). In the meantime, please let us know if you have any queries about the City’s Corella Management program via the enquiry button on this page.

Get involved to support Little Corella management 

The City is seeking your observations of corella flock movements to identify where and how the community is impacted by the declared pest in Bunbury. If you/your property or business is impacted by Corellas or you have knowledge of local flock feeding or roosting sites, please let us know via the interactive map and/ or chat forum on the Corella Management Program page. We’re also interested in your views on Little Corella management. 

Your input will support the City to gain a better understanding of key impacts and problems areas, feed sites, roost sites, potential control sites, and movement patterns to assist with future control efforts. 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Large flocks of corellas can be a nuisance due to the large amount of noise when congregated at feed and roost sites and droppings can foul recreational, public, and domestic areas.

    They cause damage to local sports fields and parks when digging for bulbs and roots, and damage trees and infrastructure through natural branch trimming and biting behaviours when roosting, including chewing cabling, roofing materials and aerials.

    Damage to infrastructure and assets in the City is wide-spread and increasing every year. 

  • Little Corellas (Cacatua sanguinea sanguinea) and Eastern Long-billed Corellas (Cacatua tenuirostris) are native to Australia (eastern states) but are not naturally occurring within Western Australia.

    They are an invasive species and Little Corellas are a Category 3 Declared Pest under the WA Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007.

    Land holders are required to undertake measures to reduce their impact. 

  • The City’s Little Corella management program has been active since 2010. In 2018, the City prepared an Introduced Corella Management Strategy to guide and unify management efforts within the Greater Bunbury region.

    The City remains focused on management efforts to minimise the adverse impacts caused by Little Corellas and has revised the strategy and updates its Little Corella Management Plan annually. 

    The Little Corella Management Plan is a combination of existing and new techniques that have not yet been trialled within the City. Using a variety of techniques is necessary to address the adaptability of Corellas to various control mechanisms. 

    The combination of techniques outlined in the Little Corella Management Plan are: 

    • Trapping events at the City control sites. 
    • Shooting when trapping is not possible at the control site. 
    • Increased deterrence efforts within urban areas using Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) approved dispersal techniques – the implementation of scare kites and firing of blanks within licensed areas. 
    • Investigating the feasibility of flight path and movement tracking to outline roosting locations. 
    • Identify opportunities to collaborate with the Port of Bunbury and neighbouring Local Government Authorities. 
    • Provide community advice/education on deterrence and dispersal mechanisms that can be undertaken on private property. 
    • Continue to identify suitable control sites within the Greater Bunbury region. 

    All control and dispersal activities are undertaken under licence and in accordance with relevant legislation. No poison is or can be used.

    Control measures undertaken are done so as a last resort and are implemented to reduce the pest Corella population to levels that are ecologically sustainable. 

  • The damage caused by Little Corellas is seasonal, mainly occurring from late October through to July. This is when management actions are implemented. 

  • Due to the size and distribution of the introduced Little Corella population in the South West, management of the birds is likely to be an ongoing issue for foreseeable future. 

    Eradication of the Corella population is not realistic. Management actions aim to reduce the impacts on community during the season when Corellas are arriving to feed and roost in Bunbury. 

    Control techniques fall into three categories, population reduction, deterrence/dispersal and habitat modification. The limitations of these control techniques are outlined in the table below.   

     

    Control technique  Challenges /Limitations  Methods 
    Population reduction  Population reduction is only used in conjunction with other management activities and would not be effective as a solution by itself. Suitable control sites are difficult to find and contractors are reliant on the birds visiting these areas.  Shooting and trapping. Trapping and euthanasia will be undertaken by contractors and/or staff with appropriate training and experience, in accordance with all legislative requirements including the WA Animal Welfare Act 2002 and Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attraction guidelines. 
    Deterrence/ 

    Dispersal 

    Reactive dispersal used on an as-needs basis provides immediate, although likely temporary, relief from Corella impacts. Birds are likely to realise the scare tactics do not actually harm them and return if these activities aren’t undertaken sporadically.  May include scare kites and firing of blanks within licensed areas. The intention is to unsettle the Corellas from congregating in urban areas and in turn, attract them to decoy sites where their impacts can be tolerated and/or further control techniques can be undertaken. 
    Habitat modification  Habitat modification is based on manipulating the relationship between the roost and easy access to food and/or water. Does not necessarily reduce roost sizes or changes to roost location.  May include vegetation management, alternative feeding areas and bait stations, lure/sacrificial crops, removal of roost structures, water spray devices, food removal. 

     

  • Between 2016 and 2019 Western Australia Local Government Authority (WALGA), with funding provided by DBCA and Local Governments, undertook a Coordinated Corella Control Program in Perth, Peel and the South West to assist with the cross-boundary management of this species.

    Since the program ceased, the City has continued to collaborate with other local governments and relevant stakeholders on a regional approach to Corella control through the development of a formal working group.

    Additionally, the City continues to advocate for support from the State Government through research, funding and to drive legislative changes to help remove some of the limitations that currently exist around corella management.  

    The State Government is developing a Pest Parrot and Cockatoo Strategy for Western Australia. The aim is to implement a collaborative strategic framework to achieve the effective long-term management of pest parrots and cockatoos in Western Australia.

    The strategy will consider funding support, as well as effective monitoring and evaluation of control programs. 

  • If you/your property is impacted by Corellas or you have knowledge of local flock feeding or roosting sites, please let us know via the interactive map and or chat forum on the Corella Management Program page.

    Your input will support the City to gain a better understanding of key feed sites, roost sites, potential control sites, and movement patterns to assist with future control efforts. 

  • There are a range of measures you can take to reduce the number of Corellas on your property, and decrease potential damage/destruction they may cause: 

    • Protect or cover any open water sources that might attract Corellas. 
    • Remove bird feeders and refrain from handfeeding all birds. 
    • Place netting on any fruit trees or large trees that may be used for roosting. 
    • Make noise to move any Corellas away and disrupt roosting (e.g. blowing a whistle, shooing, tapping tree trunks, using clap boards, downloading a bird repellent sound app). Please consider your neighbours if using noise as a deterrent. 
    • Shine a bright light or torch into roosting flocks at night as they arrive and are beginning to settle. 
    • Plant native species that are not favourable to Corellas. 
  • Feeding wildlife is an offence

    Feeding wildlife, including birds, is illegal without an authority under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2018.

    Penalties may apply which includes a modified infringement of $400 (individual). The City urges residents to remove bird feeders and refraining from handfeeding all birds to reduce an unusual number of fauna (birds) visiting an area that may cause destruction to nearby homes, gardens and vehicles.

    Learn more reasons to refrain from feeding native animals and access information on supporting wildlife in urban areas on DBCA’s website here: Supporting wildlife in urban areas | Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions