Southeast Queensland (SEQ) has the fastest growing human population in Australia and provides critical habitat for the nationally vulnerable south-eastern Glossy Black-Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami lathami). Hundreds of thousands of hectares of Glossy Black-Cockatoo habitat were burnt during the 2019-20 wildfires, including across SEQ.
Habitat mapping for South-eastern Glossy Black-Cockatoo was last undertaken in 2016, which means land use, planning and policy decisions are being made with using information that is a decade out-of-date. Since 2016, thanks to our dedicated researchers and volunteer citizen scientists, the Conservancy has collected more than 6000 records of sightings. Together with data from partner organisations such as Birdlife Australia, the Queensland Government and local Council partners, we are updating the habitat maps to better inform our knowledge and to influence planning decisions.
Thanks to the support of a WIRES Pat Connors Avian Grant, the Glossy Black Conservancy is updating habitat mapping for Glossy Black-Cockatoo in Southeast Queensland.
In October 2025 we hosted a free webinar to explain the mapping methodology and taxon rules, demonstrate their functionality and application and identify habitat changes that have occurred over the last 10 years.
To help spread the word about the new maps, we created a simple fact sheet. It explains the project and it’s key findings, including useful links.
A taxon profile is a comprehensive summary of biological, ecological, and distributional information about a specific species or subspecies. In order to accurately update the habitat mapping for South-eastern Glossy Black-Cockatoo, we also need to update its taxon profile. This detailed document outlines the known characteristics, ecological requirements, and habitat preferences of a species or subspecies. It includes information such as scientific classification, distribution, breeding and feeding behaviour, threats, and key habitat attributes.
2016 Essential Habitat
For more information about the maps or to request access to the shapefiles, please submit a data request form to info@glossyblack.org.au
Together with the updated taxon profile, the mapping rules determine the how, what, when and why behind the maps. The rules ensure scientific rigor and consistency when interpreting habitat use and combining various data sets across the region.
Find the rules in the taxon profile document.
Habitat mapping is used for many purposes and most commonly for environmental impact assessments and Matters of State Environmental Significance, commonly used in Queensland, in environmental planning and assessments.
Other uses include:
