Nestboxes

Hundreds of our Australian native mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs use tree hollows, and many of these species are birds. Most of these birds use tree hollows for nesting purposes, however a few species including Masked Owls, Sooty Owls, Australian Owlet-Nightjars and White-Throated Tree Creepers also use tree hollows to sleep in year-round. Our old growth trees are a precious, and irreplaceable, resource.

Eucalyptus trees may start to form hollows when at least 100 years old, and hollows required by Glossy Black (and other) Cockatoos typically form in trees that are over 200 years old, and more often 300-500 years old.

In areas with (historical) clearing, the limiting breeding factor for many hollow dependant species is the lack of suitable nesting trees. Supplementing nest hollows can be done by installing made to measure (species- and locality-specific) nestboxes. Great to have Alice from Nest Box Tales and the Wandiyali Ranger crew installing nestboxes at two sites. We are targeting areas where there is good habitat but few or no trees over ~100 years old, so few or no natural hollows have formed yet.

There is some more information (including nestbox designs) at https://nestboxtales.com

Alice attaches a Rosella nestbox about 5m high in a youngish Yellow Box.
📷Renee Gonlag