June 24, 2022
Corellas are changing their behaviours due to increased challenges caused by human versus bird interactions.
Like our beloved kookaburras, emus and magpies, the long-billed corella is an Australian native bird. Despite being a native animal, the long-billed corella is increasingly changing their behaviour due to increased human versus bird interaction.
As our country develops with evolving technology and demand for goods and services due to population growth, humans occupy more and more space, specifically native Australian land that our wildlife rely on for survival.
Various industries report negative interactions with long-billed corellas, including:
- Agriculture – destroying crops for feed;
- Community – destroying private and public infrastructure; and
- Mining and Construction – large flocks damaging equipment.
Did you know that:
- Large flocks are abnormal for Corellas – they only flock when they fear dying, generally due to lack of water or starvation.
- Corellas are certainly not “breeding like rabbits” – they usually only produce four offspring in a lifetime.
- The best locations (climate-wise) for birds happen to be the exact locations humans favour.
- Humans have changed the native landscape to suit our needs, meaning areas for corellas to roost and feed are reduced.
- Flocking is not an indication of larger bird populations. However, it indicates that our native bird species are feeling under threat and anticipate a crisis.
At the Bird Advocacy Foundation, we promote better outcomes for our native bird species. We work with a range of partners to drive new initiatives which promote the availability of food, water and shelter for the preservation of our bird wildlife. Our research suggests that many challenges faced between humans and birds can be remedied with proactive planning and the implementation of wildlife support strategies.
