Gang-gang Cockatoos

Who does not have a soft spot for Gang-gangs? 

The male’s forward curling bright red wispy crest, the distinctive raspy, creaking, rusty hinge calls, their gregarious family parties and small flocks and their remarkably confiding nature, which at times, especially while feeding, often allows very close approach, all contribute to the unique character of this beautiful bird. 

What’s not to like about Gang-gangs?

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A small post breeding flock of up to 15 birds was resident at our property on the Nicholson River at Sarsfield from mid January to mid February (1),  then one day they were gone (2). They spent a good part of most days feeding and resting high in tall eucalypts. The begging calls of young could be heard now and again. Late in the day and especially on hot days they came down to drink at one of our stock troughs.

Female at stock trough late on a hot day to drink.

Gang-gangs eat seeds, especially eucalypt and acacia seeds, and fruits. They are very fond of the fruits of the introduced Hawthorn tree (Crataegus monogyna) which coincides with their migration down from the high country in autumn ahead of harsh winter conditions. They also eat the fruits of native shrubs such as blue olive berry, aka Blueberry Ash (Elaeocarpus reticulatus) as seen in the following two photos.

Since the 2019-2020 Black Summer bush fires when a large amount of Gang-gang habitat was destroyed, including both food and nest hollow trees, their conservation status has been uplisted from vulnerable to endangered.

In response to the fires a number of nest box projects were undertaken - our property and the adjoining riparian strip on the Nicholson River and state forest was severely burnt in the 2019/20 Black Summer fires. Six boxes made specifically for Gang-gangs were erected high in Manna Gums (E viminalis) along the river on our property at Sarsfield in May 2022 and in other locations. We also have eleven smaller post fire nest boxes for species such as rosellas. 

The Gang-gang boxes were installed using a cherry-picker type machine – see photo - at 15-19 metres high so they are too high to monitor with a pole mounted camera which has been used to monitor the smaller boxes located at lower heights.

After four years since their installation none of the Gang-gang boxes have been used by any bird species. We now understand Gang-gangs will not use artificial nest boxes (3). The eleven smaller boxes have only been used twice by birds, once by a White-throated Treecreeper (4) and once by Crimson Rosellas. Monitoring showed many of the boxes were used by feral honeybees for the first two years but now the bees have gone. The boxes have been used by Sugar Gliders (Petaurus breviceps) with up to seven boxes occupied by eleven Sugar Gliders at one count. A Ring-tail Possum has also been found in one box. The Gliders move about using most of the boxes at one time or another, so use by birds for nesting is restricted as Sugar Gliders are a threat to eggs and young, which they will eat.

Gang-gangs prefer natural nest holes in the trunk or dead branch of tall living trees, especially eucalypts, standing near water and nest holes are invariably at great height (5). 

The future of endangered Gang-gangs depends on breeding success which is linked to large old hollow bearing trees located in or adjacent to riparian habitats and the protection of this critical habitat.

NOTES:

(1) There is a known breeding pair just over 3km from us – they successfully raised two male chicks in the 2025/26 season (3).

(2) Gang-gangs are sedentary to nomadic and are partially altitudinal migrants ranging up to alpine areas over the warmer months and spending autumn and winter in lowland forests.

(3) The observation that Gang-gangs do not use artificial nest boxes came from Canberra based researchers who banded the two chicks referred to in Note (1) above. 

(4) See earlier Avithera post on use of nest box by White-throated Treecreepers. 

https://avithera.blogspot.com/2022/10/white-throated-treecreeper-using-next.html

(5) Source Australian Parrots, 2nd ed, by Joseph M Forshaw, illustrated by William T Cooper.