Glossy Black-Cockatoo
Scientific Name: Calyptorhynchus lathami
Size: around 36cm
What does it look like?
Although the smallest Black-Cockatoo, the Glossy Black-Cockatoo is still very impressive. The male has a similar red band on the tail to the Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus banksii, however the crest is reduced to a small crown and the head has faint yellow around the feather edges. The bill in both males and females is large and the rest is a charcoal black. The female has a similar red band on the tail but has more yellow on the head, and the yellow is distinctive in the neck area. The juveniles have spotted yellow markings on the chest, between the neck and vent, while the tail has orange, black and yellow banding. The call is a soft “tarr-red”.
Where is it found?
It occurs in a broad coastal band from southern Queenslandd, through New South Wales and Victoria to Kangaroo Island, South Australia.
What are its habitats & habits?
The Glossy Black-Cockatoo feeds exclusively on the cones of she-oaks (Casuarina spp. and Allocasuarina spp.). It’s feeding behavior is specifically adapted to extract the unripened seeds from the closed, green cones of the Black Sheoak
Interesting facts
Like most cockatoos, the Glossy Black-Cockatoo is predominantly left-footed.
This species features in my book Australia’s Birdwatching Megaspots