The call has gone out to all bird lovers to be part of this year’s great inland Glossy Black Cockatoo count.

The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is seeking volunteer counters to be part of the annual survey this November.

Project Officer, Adam Fawcett said bird enthusiasts, citizen scientists or anyone keen to spend a spring weekend in a stunning NSW national park can come along and help count glossies.

“Glossy Black Cockatoos are one of Australia’s most loved and recognisable birds, with their distinctive red tail panels,' Mr Fawcett said.

“The count is part of a wider project to conserve the species at three key sites: the Pilliga Forest, Goonoo National Park and Goobang National Park and surrounding landscapes," he said.

“By volunteering, you’ll be helping scientists to monitor the size and extent of the glossy population across these areas.

“With this beautiful bird listed as vulnerable in New South Wales, monitoring will help us to better protect this iconic species for future generations.”

Mr Fawcett says that the 425 birds counted in the Pilliga Forest during last year’s survey was a great result.

“This makes us cautiously optimistic about the future of glossies in the Pilliga,” he added. “While the tally results vary from year-to-year, we think the variation is in response to changing seasonal conditions and food availability.

“We suspect the birds are spreading out further across the landscape in wetter seasons, which means they are typically hhttps://www2.environment.nsw.gov.au/research-and-publications/your-research/citizen-science/hub-and-viparder to count at the water holes. In short, the surveys have indicated we have a consistent number of birds across the sites.”

Glossy Black Cockatoos are known to come to water sources to drink in the late afternoon, so volunteers will be stationed at a dam on their chosen weekend to count.

Mr Fawcett said people don’t need to have birdwatching experience to be part of the count.

“The glossy is a very distinctive species and easily identified and NPWS provides a lot of information to help first time counters prepare for the count,” he said.

 “All you need is a pair of binoculars, a comfy chair and a notepad. It’s a pretty fantastic way to spend a spring evening perched up by a water hole watching glossies and other native birds in their natural habitat.

“We have had an amazing group of volunteers for previous counts and many are keen to join in again this year. In fact, the slots for volunteers at Goobang National Park have already been filled."

The date for surveying the Pilliga Forest is Saturday, 2 November and the Goonoo National Park on Saturday 9 November.  Anyone interested in volunteering can register online using the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) volunteer portal, here.

The project is funded by the NSW Government's Saving our Species program and the NSW Environmental Trust.  It is led by Central West Local Land Services in partnership with NPWS, NSW Forest Corporation, Dubbo Field Naturalists, Australian Wildlife Conservancy and other land managers.

Images provided by J.Hansen.