Justification Although this species may have a restricted range, it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be increasing, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Family/Sub-family Psittacidae

Species name author (Gould, 1841)

Taxonomic source(s) Christidis and Boles (1994), Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)

Identification

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

unknown

unset

-

Yes

Range & population This species is endemic to Australia. Subspecies pastinator is found in most of south-west Australia, south of Perth from the Swan and Avon rivers in the north, to Augusta in the west and Broome in the east. Subspecies derbyi is found in the northern wheatbelt of Western Australia.

Important Bird Areas Click here to view map showing IBAs where species is recorded and triggers any of the IBA criteria.

Threats Subspecies pastinator declined significantly in range and numbers early in the 20th century, as it was considered an agricultural pest. Extensive shooting and poisoning by farmers caused the population to plummet to c.100 birds in the 1940s. However, both the expansion of agriculture and prohibition of poisoning and shooting has allowed a recovery in numbers (Garnett and Crowley 2000). Clearance for agriculture has reduced the area of breeding habitat for subspecies derbyi, and may be favouring the Short-billed Corella C. sanguinea. Nevertheless, despite a low reproductive rate, the range of this subspecies has expanded in recent decades (Garnett 1992).

References Garnett 1992, Garnett and Crowley 2000.

Text account compilers Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Jonathan Ekstrom (BirdLife International), Matt Harding (BirdLife International)

IUCN Red List evaluators Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Cacatua pastinator. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 10/2/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife

To contribute to discussions on the evaluation of the IUCN Red List status of Globally Threatened Birds, please visit BirdLife's Globally Threatened Bird Forums