The wail of red-tailed cockatoos caught our attention during breakfast this morning. We crept quietly out onto the verandah to find a threesome, mother, father and baby, in the white cedar tree. Only the mother was clearly visible. The other two were hidden in the leaves. They are very shy and one over-enthusiastic step of mine was all it took to have them drop from the tree and glide off across the paddock to the next feeding spot with their plaintive "creee, creee, creee," drifting across the valley as they flew. As their name implies they have red panels in their tail feathers which are only clearly visible from below.
@ladymagpie they are listed as uncommon in Australia and endemic to our country. They are a big bird, over 60 cm / 2feet in length and nest in the hollows in gum trees. Such hollows are only found in very old trees,100 years old or more. As trees of this age are becoming rarer with land clearing and urban Development so too are the big black cockatoos.
@maggiemae I think the " extra eye" is his nose. Quite a rare bird now and I love to have them call into our yard to feed but they don't do not very often - too timid.
January 9th, 2015
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