The Great Glossy Count is a nationwide event where everyday people help protect one of Australia’s most charismatic and threatened birds—the South-eastern Glossy Black-Cockatoo. Held across Queensland, New South Wales, the ACT and Victoria, this weekend of action brings citizen scientists together to spot Glossies, track their feed trees, and collect data that helps scientists understand how these birds are surviving—and where they need our help most.
No experience needed. Just a keen eye, a bit of time, and a love of nature.
Anyone can participate in the Great Glossy Count – no previous experience is required. Whether you’re a seasoned birder, a landholder keen to help, or simply love being outdoors and spotting birds, you’re welcome. Join solo or bring a friend. Groups are encouraged. You’ll gain new skills, contribute meaningfully to conservation and help build Australia’s knowledge about this remarkable bird.
Watch this video from Birdlife Australia to learn how to register and select your survey site for the 2026 Great Glossy Count.
In the lead up to the 2026 Great Glossy Count, join like-minded nature-lovers to learn how to locate and identify Glossy Black-Cockatoos and their feed trees in the wild.
This series of free workshops will cover:
Saturday 9 May, 3.30 – 5pm
Eastern Dorrigo Community Hall, 13 Pine Ave, Ulong
No need to register, just be there!
You can now access reports, maps and data from past Great Glossy Counts plus downloadable identification guides, how‑to videos, and training materials.
You can access fact sheets on the Conservancy website by clicking here.
Got a burning question we haven’t answered elsewhere? Send an email to the Conservancy and we’ll have one of our expert partners answer it for you. Email: info@glossyblack.org.au.
A new guide, produced by Birdlife Australia and the Glossy Black Conservancy will support citizen scientists to collect data on South-eastern Glossy Black-Cockatoos.
Download here.
It’s a nationwide citizen science event where volunteers collect data on the South-eastern Glossy Black-Cockatoo and its habitat to help conservation efforts. Anyone can take part, whether you’re an experienced birder or a complete beginner.
The main event runs over a couple of days (this year it’s on 16–17 May) across south-eastern Queensland, eastern NSW, the ACT and eastern Victoria — wherever these birds live.
No! No previous birdwatching experience is required. Training materials, videos and workshops are provided to help you learn how to identify Glossies and their feed trees.
Yes — you do need to register! While you can log Glossy Black-Cockatoo sightings anytime in the Birdata app, registering specifically for the Great Glossy Count is important because the data collected during the Count is organised in a unique dataset that feeds directly into national conservation and recovery efforts for the species. This registration also helps us manage survey sites and support volunteers behind the scenes, ensuring the event runs smoothly. This is the biggest citizen scientist event of the year for our beloved Glossies, so thanks for signing up.
You need to register for the Count and book a survey site via the Birdata platform. After that, you’ll complete a short quiz and can then start collecting data. Watch this video on how to register for the Count.
Once a grid square is booked, no one else can book that same square. However, the person who made the booking can share the booking code so others can register separately and join the same search area on the same day.
Birdata allows up to 8 people to be formally linked to one site. If more than 8 people take part, this usually isn’t a problem for recording Glossy observations on the day. The main limitation is around accurately tracking how many people participated, rather than what birds are recorded.
If more than 8 people are surveying the same grid square, all bird sightings can still be recorded. For example, if 12 people split into smaller groups to cover the area, each group can still log sightings in the app. Every record is linked to the correct grid square automatically using location data.
When volunteers register on the BirdLife website, they can:
As part of the registration process, you’ll be able to select a survey site. Priority sites are listed to help guide you to a location that the researchers would like surveyed, however you may choose any site that you feel comfortable accessing.
Yes! Many volunteers have a favourite site on which to observe Glossy Black-Cockatoos and some volunteers like to record sightings on their own properties. Simply choose your preferred site when you register.
Yes! You can take part solo, with a friend or as a group. Each person must register and pass the Birdata quiz, and group members can join the same booked site
It’s up to you what time you head out to look for birds on Saturday 16 or Sunday 17 May. Some volunteers like to go in the morning or evening when Glossies are most active and some like to observe birds in multiple locations. As long as you record times and observations in the Birdata app, you’re welcome to survey whenever suits you best. We ask people to spend at least an hour at each location.
To report a sighting or evidence of feed trees, you need to use Birdlife Australia’s Birdata app. Download the app to your phone before the Great Glossy Count and register as a user.
A video outlining how to use the Birdata app and its Glossy Black-Cockatoo module is available on our website.
Take a photo, if you can. Refer to the field guide or online fact sheets to determine age and sex of the bird. Record your sighting in the app.
If you’ve seen evidence of feed trees, record them in the app. If you see no evidence of feed trees or Glossy Black-Cockatoos, please let us know you saw no birds at your site. A zero result is still critically important.
Yes, you can still record Glossy Black-Cockatoo data through Birdata any time, but only data collected during the Count weekend is included in the official Count dataset.
Our website has links to all of the following resources:
Absolutely! The data helps guide conservation actions like habitat mapping, federal recovery planning, and on-ground research for this vulnerable species across eastern Australia.
