BACKYARD BIODIVERSITY

OUR NATURE: HOLLOWS ARE HOMES

Backyard BiodiversityThe Gold Coast is one of the most biodiverse cities in Australia.

Our native plants and wildlife are essential to our environmental, social and economic health and wellbeing.

Backyards are an important part of the Gold Coast’s natural landscape with more than half of the city’s native vegetation on private properties.

If you have a backyard, courtyard or a balcony you have the opportunity to support our native plants and animals by providing habitat for our diverse native wildlife.

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Biodiversity is reduced when species become extinct. Plant and animal species which are at risk of extinction are known as threatened species.

Threatened species can be identified by their conservation status which is specified under both Federal [Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act)] and State [Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NC Act)] legislation.

A range of factors is used to assess a species’ conservation status including:

• the number of individuals remaining

• the overall increase or decrease in the population over time

• breeding success rates and known threats.

Threatened speciesWhile the categories and specific definitions used differs between State and Federal legislation, in both cases the status indicates whether a species still exists and how likely it is to become extinct.

Gold CoastOn the Gold Coast, species which are locally significant are known as City-wide significant (CWS) species. These species are important because they may be threatened, restricted to the Gold Coast, or at the edge of their geographic range.

You and your backyard can contribute to supporting threatened and CWS species by creating and restoring habitat in your backyard.

Throughout this booklet, Threatened, Near threatened and CWS species are identified using the symbols shown below. They are accurate at the time of printing.

CWS

MOST LIKELY TO BECOME EXTINCT

LEAST LIKELY TO BECOME EXTINCT

EXTINCT

Ex Wx CE E V CD

EPE V NT LC

EPBC Act

NC Act

Extinct Extinct in the wild

Presumed extinct in the wild

Critically endangered

Endangered

Endangered

Vulnerable

Vulnerable

Conservation dependant

Near threatened

Least concern

Threatened species

OUR NATURE: HOLLOWS ARE HOMES

What would the Gold Coast be without its iconic bright

and charismatic parrot species like the Rainbow Lorikeet,

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo and Crimson Rosella?

Other species like gliders, possums, tree frogs and owls

also call the Gold Coast home. All of these animals

depend on tree hollows for their survival.

Take action in your backyard

• Preserve and retain trees with natural hollows.

• If you have large trees and no hollows, talk to a conservation arborist about creating hollows in these trees if they are suitable.

• Create and install nest boxes from salvaged tree limbs.

• If you cannot do any of the above, then build and install a nest box made from native timbers or plywood.

• Monitor and maintain any nest box that you install.

At least

127 ANIMAL SPECIES in South East Queensland depend on tree hollows for shelter or nesting.

It takes a minimum of

100 YEARS for hollows, big enough

for small mammals, to form naturally.

HOLLOWS ARE BEING LOST which can lead to

loss of local wildlife.

5BACKYARD BIODIVERSITY: Our Nature – Hollows are Homes

BACKYARD BIODIVERSITY: Our Nature – Hollows are Homes 7

Hollows are homesNative wildlife use hollows for a variety of different purposes. For example, tree dwelling mammals such as gliders use hollows for breeding as well as shelter. Owls use them for nesting and shelter during the day, including nesting, protection from predators, shelter and roosting. Some wildlife only live and breed in hollows. It is estimated that at least 127 animal species in South East Queensland utilise hollows including the local species pictured below. For many of these species, if they cannot find hollows they cannot breed.

Parrots

Galah Eolophus roseicapillus

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus

Little CorellaCacatua sanguinea

Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus moluccanus

Pale-headed Rosella Platycercus adscitus

BACKYARD BIODIVERSITY: Our Nature – Hollows are Homes 9

Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans

Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo Calyptorhynchus funereus

Female Australian King-Parrot Alisterus scapularis

Eastern Rosella Platycercus eximius

Glossy Black-Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus lathami

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita

VCWS

BACKYARD BIODIVERSITY: Our Nature – Hollows are Homes 11

Other birds

Barking Owl Ninox connivens

Australian BoobookNinox boobook

Powerful Owl Ninox strenua Australian Wood Duck Chenonetta jubata

Laughing Kookaburra* Dacelo novaeguineae

Australian Owlet-nightjar Aegotheles cristatus

*prefer termite nests but have been known to use hollows too

V

CWS

CWS

BACKYARD BIODIVERSITY: Our Nature – Hollows are Homes 13

Mammals

Squirrel Glider Petaurus norfolcensis

Feathertail Glider Acrobates pygmaeus

Sugar Glider Petaurus breviceps Microbat

Short-eared Brushtail Possum Trichosurus caninus

Brush-tailed Phascogale Phascogale tapoatafa

Common Brushtail Possum Trichosurus vulpecula

CWS

BACKYARD BIODIVERSITY: Our Nature – Hollows are Homes 15

Native Bees

Stingless bees

About natural hollowsHollows come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from small cracks to deep, large cavities. Each animal species tends to have a preference for a certain shape, size and position of hollow. Microbats and gliders opt for hollowed out limbs while possums and cockatoos prefer the larger hollows in the trunk of the tree.

The same tree hollow may be used by different animals at different times of the year. Parrots typically nest in hollows between August and November, although this can vary between species and as temperatures change throughout the year. Throughout the winter months, gliders and possums can use anywhere between six and 12 different hollows.

Australian King-Parrot using a hollow

BACKYARD BIODIVERSITY: Our Nature – Hollows are Homes 17

How natural hollows formHollows form naturally in a variety of ways: limb failure or dead limb decay, termite excavation of the internal heartwood timber, lightning or storm damage. In order for a tree hollow to form naturally the tree must be living. Once the tree has died, the external timber will decay faster than the internal timber. Fire can sometimes increase the speed of hollow formation and increase the size of a hollow. Some animals can also contribute to hollow formation. Kingfishers make their own hollows in aerial termite nests (termitarium) and the critically endangered Coxen’s fig parrot can excavate their own hollows within deadwood(1). Other parrots, such as cockatoos can also increase the form and size of a hollow.

Generally, eucalypts are the most common trees on the Gold Coast to form hollows. However, other long-lived trees such as brush boxes (Lophostemon confertus) and bloodwoods (Corymbia spp.) can also form hollows. Natural hollows can take at least 100 years to form a hollow large enough for a small mammal, and over 200 years to create a hollow large enough for a possum or larger parrot(2).

Hollows forming in Eucalyptus microcorys

Sugar glider in a natural hollow

Scaly-breasted lorikeet in tree trunk hollow Corellas in tree trunk hollow

BACKYARD BIODIVERSITY: Our Nature – Hollows are Homes 19

Not enough hollowsUnfortunately, with increasing development comes the loss of wildlife habitat, including old-growth trees containing natural hollows. This is why home and property owners can make such a big difference by conserving natural habitat at home and assisting in creating new habitat for wildlife.

Retain trees with natural hollowsThe first and best option is to always retain trees with natural hollows. A common misconception is that trees containing hollows are unsafe. However, in many cases this is not true and with some minor pruning it is possible to retain the tree and the tree’s hollows. Good tree care and regular tree maintenance is always advised to keep trees in good health. When considering undertaking activities in or around trees, such as fence construction, trenching or pruning, always seek advice from a suitably qualified arborist, preferably a conservation arborist.

Have a conservation arborist create hollows If you have large trees on your property, but not many hollows, a conservation arborist may be able to create hollows if the trees are suitable. There is a wide array of techniques for creating hollows. If live trees require trimming for safety, hollows can be created in a reduced limb. For properties with large, dead trees, there is the option to have hollows cut into the tree by a professional conservation arborist. Dead trees that have had limbs reduced back to sizeable timber in order to maintain hollows or to create new hollows are known as habitat stags. Creating habitat stags minimises future tree maintenance required. Hollow creation should always be undertaken by a qualified conservation arborist in consultation with a State Government approved fauna spotter catcher.

Habitat stagReduced limb with

natural hollow

Glider in a carved hollowBrushtail possum in a

carved hollow

BACKYARD BIODIVERSITY: Our Nature – Hollows are Homes 21

Install nest boxesAnother option is to install nest boxes. The best nest boxes are those made from salvaged tree branches, as they look and feel natural for wildlife. Artificial hollows and nest boxes made from recycled tree limbs have thermal and other qualities much more like a natural hollow. If no other options are available nest boxes made from thick, good quality plywood, or native hardwood timbers, are options - especially for householders with small properties. Nest boxes of different sizes with different entry points are made to suit different species. Different species also prefer different positioning of nest boxes. For example, microbats seem to prefer clusters of nest boxes in close proximity to each other(3). If you are handy with a hammer, you can have a go at building a nest box yourself. Check out the book ‘Nest Boxes for Wildlife’(4) for ideas and plans for a range of boxes. Visit the City’s flora and fauna website goldcoastflorafauna.com.au to find out which wildlife may visit your backyard, so you can build and position nest boxes to suit these species.

Squirrel gliders in a nest boxNest box made from salvaged

tree branch Constructed nest box

Monitor and maintain Remember if you get some hollows created or install nest boxes, it is important to monitor and maintain them to ensure they remain in good condition. Rainbow lorikeets will often be the pioneers of the first nesting process in nest boxes due to their ability to nest in a range of conditions. However, once they have left their nesting material behind this makes it easier for other wildlife to use the box. Care and maintenance of nest boxes will help ensure that pest species, such as European Honey Bees and Indian Myna Birds, are not able to take up residence.

BACKYARD BIODIVERSITY: Our Nature – Hollows are Homes 23

Want to learn more?

Opportunities to learn moreNaturallyGC

A variety of free and low cost nature based workshops, activities and events are available across the Gold Coast including many which are about local fauna – check out the City of Gold Coast website for further information.

Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens

See nest boxes being used by a variety of local native fauna by visiting the Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens in Benowa. Friends of the Gardens volunteers are on site every day to provide advice, and the native plant nursery is open from 8am to 11am on the first Friday of each month.

Books and resources available from City Libraries

• Wildlife of the Gold Coast (2014) Damian White, Doug White; editor, Narelle Power; photographer Narelle Power; Jeannie White.

• Nest boxes for wildlife: a practical guide (2003) Alan and Stacey Franks

• Woodlands: a disappearing landscape (2005) David Lindenmayer, Mason Crane and Damian Michael; with contributions from Christopher MacGregor and Ross Cunningham; photographs by Esther Beaton

• Planting for wildlife: a practical guide to restoring native woodlands (2011) Nicola Munro and David Lindenmayer

Digital and websitesSEARCH FOR:

• Comic explainer - forest giants house thousands of animals: Pictorial explanation of the importance of hollow bearing trees.

• Queensland Arboriculture Association: Register of approved aborists.

• Wildcare: Licenced wildlife care organisation.

• Australian Bat Society: How to install a bat house including plans.

Reference list(1) Coxen's Fig-Parrot Recovery Team. (2001). Coxen’s Fig Parrot (Cyclopsitta diophthalma

coxeni) recovery plan 2001-2005. Report to Environment Australia, Canberra. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service: Brisbane. environment.gov.au/node/15425

(2) Carritt, R 1999, ‘natural tree hollows,’ Conservation Management Note 5, environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/nature/Factsheet5Treehollows.pdf

(3) Rhodes, M & Jones, D 2011, 'The use of bat boxes by insectivorous bats and other fauna in the greater Brisbane region,' The Biology and Conservation of Australasian Bats, pp. 424-442. publications.rzsnsw.org.au/doi/pdf/10.7882/FS.2011.043

(4) Franks, A & Franks S 2011, Nest Boxes for Wildlife, Bloomings Books.

BACKYARD BIODIVERSITY: Our Nature – Hollows are Homes 1

Photo creditsCover page Cockatoo – Steve Collom

Page 6 Galah – Alicia Powell

Page 7 Little Corella, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet – Alicia Powell, Rainbow Lorikeet – Toby Osborne, Pale-headed Rosella – Todd Burrows

Page 8 Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo – Ceris Ash, Female Australian King-Parrot – Toby Osborne, Crimson Rosella – Steve Collom

Page 9 Sulphur-crested Cockatoo – Darryl Larsen, Glossy Black-Cockatoo & Eastern Rosella – Toby Osborne

Page 10 Barking Owl – Sandra Gallienne, Powerful Owl & Australian Boobook – Todd Burrows

Page 11 Australian Owlet-nightjar & Australian Wood Duck – Todd Burrows, Laughing Kookaburra – Darryl Larsen

Page 12 Squirrel Glider, Sugar Glider & Feathertail Glider – Todd Burrows

Page 13 Common Brushtail Possum & Short-eared Brushtail Possum – Todd Burrows, Brush-tailed Phascogale – Michael Snedic, Microbat – Sheree Price

Page 14 Native stingless bees – Dr Tobias Smith

Page 15 Australian King-Parrot using a hollow – Steve Collom

Page 16 Sugar Glider, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Corellas – Steve Collom, Corellas in tree trunk hollow – Sandra Gallienne

Page 17 Hollows forming in Eucalyptus microcorys – Narelle Power

Page 19 Reduced limb with natural hollow, Habitat stag, Glider in carved hollow, Brushtail possum in a carved hollow – Steve Collom

Page 20 Nest box – Steve Collom, Squirrel gliders in nest box – Todd Burrows

Page 21 Constructed nest box – Steve Collom

Back inside cover Kookaburra – Narelle Power

Kookaburra in a Eucalyptus pilularis hollowPublished October 2019

BACKYARD BIODIVERSITY: Our Nature – Hollows are Homes

P 1300 GOLDCOAST (1300 465 326) W cityofgoldcoast.com.au

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