Glossy Black Cockatoos

The Glossy Black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami) is listed as a vulnerable species in Queensland.

These beautiful parrots have become a rare sight in Redland Shire mainly due to the destruction of their habitat through land clearance and bushfires. Glossy Black Cockatoos have very specific habitat requirements. Their only source of food is the cone like seeds of Allocasuarina torulosa (Rose she-oak) and Allocasuarina littoralis (Black she-oak). A telltale sign of their presence is the scattering of chewed seeds beneath these She-oaks. Their total dependence on these seeds for food makes them one of the most specialised birds in the world. Additionally, in order to survive they require old trees with deep hollows for nesting and a watering hole nearby.

A Glossy Black Cockatoo's breeding season commences in March and continues until August. Female birds only ever lay one egg and if a chick is successfully raised, it may be two years before the parents nest again.

Description

A large black cockatoo, 46-50 cm in size.

Male: dark brown head; red tail panels.

Female: brown head splotched with yellow; tail panels red barred with black, and edged yellow.

Bill dark brownish grey in both sexes.

Voice: soft repeated 'tarr-red...tarr-red' call.

Tend not to congregate in large flocks. Normally seen in groups of three.

Flight is bouyant, with slow, shallow wingbeats.

Don't be confused!

The Glossy Black Cockatoo resembles two other cockatoos. These are the Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo and the Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo, however, sightings of these two species are rare in the Redland Shire.

Sighting Form

Click here for a copy of the Glossy Black Cockatoo Sighting Form. The form is a single page document in PDF format.