Melbourne’s Feathered Renovators, Why Your Gutters Are a Corella’s Favourite Restaurant
If you live in Melbourne, the sound is unmistakable. It’s the raucous, screeching chatter that signals the arrival of a flock of brilliant white birds, descending upon a park, powerline, or, as many homeowners know all too well, a suburban roof. We’re talking about the clever, charismatic, and often chaotic cockatoo – specifically, the Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea), a common sight across the city.
At first glance, the scene in the photo above looks almost serene. A flock of corellas is enjoying a quiet meal, perched comfortably on a sun-drenched roof. But look closer. They aren’t just sunbathing; they’re dining out. And your gutter is their plate. Why in god’s name did they choose my roof you might ask?… read on.
The Main Course, A Cypress Cone Buffet
These intelligent birds have discovered that many of Melbourne’s suburban gardens host an all-you-can-eat buffet, the cones from Cypress trees. These cones are packed with nutritious seeds, a perfect energy source for a busy bird.
Their method is systematic and efficient. A corella will snip a cone from a nearby tree with its powerful beak, fly to a safe and stable vantage point, like your roof and proceed to dismantle it with surgical precision. If your roof is next to the Cypress Tree and already covered in cones, it will be an immediate landing spot for the hungry flock. The gutter provides the perfect “workbench.” It’s stable, secure from ground predators, and has a handy edge to look over as your new feathered friends munch away. As you can see in the picture, they hold the cone with their talon and tear it apart to get to the seeds inside.
The Unintended Consequence, The Gutter Blockage
Unfortunately, corellas are not tidy eaters. While they get their fill of seeds, the remnants of their feast—the tough, woody scales of the cone, twigs, and other debris—are unceremoniously dropped. Where do they land? Straight into your gutter and worse still, they will decompose quickly now that they’ve been torn up.
One bird might not cause much trouble, but corellas are highly social. They travel and dine in flocks. Before you know it, dozens of birds have spent the afternoon feasting on your roof, and your once-clear gutter is now a compacted trough of woody debris.
For Melbourne homeowners, this is more than just a nuisance.
- Water damage issues. With our city’s famously unpredictable downpours, a blocked gutter can cause water to overflow back into the eaves, damaging timber fascia boards, ceilings, and even the internal walls of your home.
- Fire hazards, during a hot, dry summer, a gutter filled with dry, tinder-like cone debris becomes a serious fire risk. Embers from a distant bushfire can easily travel and ignite this material, threatening your entire home.
- Pest insect attraction, the damp, composting mess can become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other unwanted pests. The cockatoos will be long gone once this issue festers, they won’t be there to help combat the insect problem.
What Can You Do About Your Feathered Diners?
Living alongside our native wildlife means finding ways to coexist. While you can’t stop a corella from being a corella, you can take steps to protect your home.
- Regular Gutter Cleaning. The most direct solution. If you have Cypress trees nearby, make a habit of checking your gutters regularly, especially before the fire season and the onset of winter rains.
- Install Heavy Duty Gutter Guards. A high-quality gutter guard is often the best long-term solution. These systems allow water to flow through while preventing leaves, cones, and other debris dropped by birds from causing a blockage.
- Strategic Pruning. If the Cypress tree is on your property, consider carefully pruning branches that overhang or are very close to your roofline. This may encourage the birds to dine elsewhere.
So next time you see a flock of corellas setting up their rooftop restaurant, admire their intelligence and beauty. Then, maybe make a mental note to grab a ladder and check on your gutters. After all, in the vibrant ecosystem of a Melbourne suburb, a little home maintenance goes a long way. Corellas are native birds so there a limitations regarding what you can do to stop them, but for more info about introduced pest birds, see our main Bird Control page.
Call us today for gutter cleaning 1300 GRAYSONS (1300472976)
