Cockatoo Care - Baudin's Cockatoo
Baudin's CockatooCalyptorhynchus baudinii Other names:White-tailed Black Cockatoo and Long-billed Black Cockatoo. Threatened Status:"Declared Threatened Fauna: Schedule 1 - Fauna that is rare or is likely to become extinct". It is scarce to moderately common (most numerous in deep south-west). Usually in flocks (up to 300). It has declined in the last 50 years, its low rate of reproduction (0.6 chick per year) precluding it from replacing the large numbers shot by orchardists.
Breeding:Nesting in hollows of karri, marri and wandoo trees. Eggs laid in October; clutch 1-2 ( only one young reared ) and only the female incubates and broods the chick. Life span:25 - 50 years. Description:Length 50-60 cm. Weight 560-770 g. Adult male:Mostly brownish black, the feathers edged with dusky white giving a scalloped appearance; ear coverts dusky white; white band towards tip of tail, broken in middle; bill black; bare skin around eye pink. Female:Like male but differs in having the ear coverts yellowish white; bill greyish with dark tip and eye skin grey. Distribution:Occurs in south-western humid and subhumid zones, north to Gidgegannup, east to Mt Helena, Wandering, Quindanning, the Perup River, Lake Muir and King River, and west to eastern strip of Swan Coastal Plain including West Midland, Byford, North Dandalup, Yarloop, Wokalup and Bunbury also the Stirling and Porongurup Ranges. It is endemic to Western Australia. Habitat and food:Southern eucalypt forests. Feeds on seeds of Marri, Banksia, Hakea and fruiting apples and pears, also strips bark from dead trees in search of insects, mainly beetle and borer larvae. Threats to the species:Clearing of forest, feral bees which take over nesting hollows and in the past large numbers shot by orchardists.
References:Johnstone R.E. and Storr.G.M. 1998 Handbook of Western Australian Birds. Volume 1 - Non-passerines (Emu to Dollarbird). Western Australian Museum pp. 278 -280. |
