3 Steps to Doing a Roost Count

3 Steps to Doing a Roost Count

The Great Cocky Count
Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoo counts at overnight roosts

3 steps to doing a roost count:

1) Arrive at your allocated survey site at least half hour before sunset so you can find the cockatoos (in Perth, before 5.30pm on Sunday 7 April 2013).

2) Count all white-tailed black-cockatoos until at least half hour after sunset (in Perth, between 5.30pm and 6.30pm)

  • Only count flying cockatoos as they approach and land at the roost site (counting cockatoos already in trees is generally not accurate).
  • Draw an imaginary line across the sky and count the number of cockatoos as they cross the line.
  • When possible, record the count of cockatoos in each group as they cross the count line (e.g. 4,1,3,10,3,2,6,1,3).
  • For large flocks, work out how big a group of 10 cockatoos is and use this to decide the size of the whole flock, e.g. if the group of 10 cockatoos fits into the flock four times, there are 40 cockatoos in the flock.
  • Do not count cockatoos that fly over the top of your roost site and do not stop – these may be going to another person’s survey site.
  • If you see red-tailed black-cockatoos, note how many on your survey form but do not add them to your total count.

3) Please send completed forms to Tamara Kabat at the address overleaf.

Equipment:survey form, clipboard, pen/pencil, tally/click counter,torch, binoculars, GPS (if you have one), compass, watch, map,chair/blanket, water/snacks, insect repellent.

Name of lead observer(s): / Telephone: / Email:
Name of additional observer(s): / Telephone: / Email:

Site code:

Address (describe location):

GPS location, either UTM (Universal Transverse Metric) or Latitude/longitude:

UTM Easting
(7 digits, e.g. 0384667) / UTM Northing
(7 digits, e.g. 6409605) / Accuracy (m) / Latitude
(e.g 32° 26’ 52’’)
Deg Min Sec / Longitude
(e.g. 115° 46’ 10’’)
Deg Min Sec / Accuracy (m)

What is the main tree type that the cockatoos are roosting in (tick box):

□Pine □Eucalypt □Marri □Jarrah □Tuart Other: ______

Date: ______Time start: ______Time finish: ______Site code: ______
You may wish to tally cockatoos as they fly over imaginary line across the sky
(for example 2,2,2,3,2,17,2,24,2,3,3,1, …) / Sub totals
Total number of cockatoos at roost:
Direction from which cockatoos arrived: □ North □South □East □West □Other (e.g. SW): ______
Comments:

Please send completed forms to:

Tamara Kabat,Black-Cockatoo Conservation Officer,BirdLife Australia

Peregrine House, 167 Perry Lakes Drive, Floreat, WA 6014

E

T 9287 2204 or 0457 333 177

Please note our safety advice for volunteers taking part in the survey:

  • We wish to remind you that you are responsible for your own safety while taking part in our cockatoo surveys; and you must complete our volunteer registration process before undertaking roost counts.
  • Always let someone know when you are going and when you expect to return.
  • Wear sturdy, enclosed shoes or walking boots, protective clothing and be prepared for adverse conditions. Carry sufficient food and water.
  • You must be fully capable of physical mobility and moderately physically fit to participate in these surveys.
  • If children are present, they must be supervised by an adult.
  • Avoid working under the tree canopy where you are at risk of falling branches and pine cones.
  • Survey in groups of at least two people to maximise safety and improve the reliability of the survey results.
  • If surveying a site close to a road, beware of traffic.
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