Corella management planning gets underway

Controlling large populations of corella’s in the Wheatbelt will require a coordinated approach with planning now underway across the AROC shires of Northam, Toodyay, Goomalling, Victoria Plains and York in partnership with Cooperative Bulk Handling (CBH) and Wheatbelt NRM.

Wheatbelt NRM representatives met with Cooperative Bulk Handling (CBH) and the Avon Regional Organisation of Councils (AROC) on the 22nd of May to further progress the strategic managing of corellas in the central Wheatbelt area.

Large flocks of corellas are a common site across the wheatbelt with the introduction of broad acre cropping creating favorable breeding conditions for the species.

The large flocks can cause considerable damage to infrastructure both in residential areas and on farms with a coordinated approach across the region needed to ensure populations of corella species are managed.

The May meeting was facilitated as a workshop which allowed representatives from the AROC shires and CBH to discuss management methods which have been used in the past, the success rate of these methods as well as new proposed methods of control.

Management methods previously used across the region included shooting as well as a small amount of trapping followed by euthanizing.

Issues identified with these control methods included the speed at which corellas quickly worked out routines of shooters and then avoided these areas as well as the high cost of traps for corellas and the small impact this expensive management method had on population control.

WNRM Sustainable Ag project manager Jacquie Lucas is coordinating the corella project and said a new chemical control method was discussed for use but is currently seeking appropriate approvals.

She said investigating the viability of contraceptive control was another area of interest, however a lot more knowledge of corella biology was needed to further progress this management method.

Ms Lucas said public education was also earmarked as an area that needed more resources with some residents continuing to feed corella’s further exacerbating the issue.

Timing of trail feeding sheep has been identified as an area of research that needs further exploration.

Anecdotal evidence is pointing to late evening as a time less likely to attract corella activity as birds are usually looking to roost at this time while sheep will continue feeding during dusk.

Firearm regulation and its impact on control methods was also discussed.

Didgee Vermin control was present at the meeting and discussed the use of pneumatic air rifles which were acknowledged as a much quieter firearm to be used which disturbed corella flocks less. The small projectiles of these firearms were also more economical.

Ms Lucas said the workshop had provided valuable insight into the current situation and the next step was for WNRM to create a plan to further progress a coordinated approach of corella control methods across the region.

Implementation of the plan will then begin through collaboration with shire staff to progress the project.  

To report corella sightings please email our dedicated email link below.

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Published eNews #403, June 2025