Forest Red-tailed Black Cockatoo

Forest Red-tailed Black Cockatoo

Calyptorhynchus banksii naso

Image of a pair of Forest Red-tailed Black Cockatoos

Pair of Forest Red-tailed Black Cockatoos
Image copyright Tony Kirkby, WA Museum 

Download Forest Red-tailed Black Cockatoo factsheet [PDF 372kb]

Other Names

Red-tailed Black Cockatoo.
The south-western population naso (referring to its large bill) was named by John Gould in 1837. Known to the Noongar people as ‘Karrak’.

Threatened Status

“Listed Vulnerable: Schedule 1 – Western Australian Wildlife Conservation Act”.
“Vulnerable: under Federal Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act”.

It was formerly common, but is now rare to uncommon and patchily distributed over a range which has become markedly reduced. Usually seen in pairs or small flocks, seldom large flocks (up to 200). It has declined due to destruction of forests and woodlands, also competition for nest hollows with native and exotic species and the impact of fire. There are three subspecies of Red-tailed Black Cockatoo in Western Australia. Only the south-western population naso is listed as Vulnerable.

Description

Length 53–55 cm. Weight 600–610 g.

Adult male

Male Forest Red-tailed Black Cockatoo

Male Forest Red-tailed Black Cockatoo
Image copyright Keith Lightbody 

Glossy black except for bright orange-red band towards tip of tail, bill dark grey or blackish.

Adult female

Female Forest Red-tailed Black Cockatoo

Female Forest Red-tailed Black Cockatoo
Image copyright 
Keith Lightbody

Glossy black, the head and wing coverts spotted with pale yellow; breast and belly barred with orange-yellow; tail narrowly banded with red and orange-yellow (more orange) on undertail coverts; bill pale greyish white.

Juvenile and immature

Immature male Forest Red-tailed Black Cockatoo

Immature male Forest Red-tailed Black Cockatoo
Image copyright 
Keith Lightbody

Similar to female except for less pale yellow spots on head, cheeks and wings, dull pale yellow bars on breast and belly, outer tail feathers brightly barred with red or orange red (little or no yellow) and bill dark grey or blackish.

Voice

Loud harsh cries “Karee”, “Karrak” or “Krar-raak” also “chet” sounds and harsh nasal wheezing. Male breeding call is a repeated mechanical “waa-waa”.

Life span

25–50 years.

Habitat and food

Eucalypt forests. Feeds on seeding Marri, Jarrah, Blackbutt, Karri, Sheoak and Snottygobble, also some ornamental eucalypts and introduced Cape Lilac.

Threats to the species

Destruction of forests, fires in spring breeding season, feral European honey bees, expansion of Australian Shelduck and Australian Wood Duck which takes over nesting hollows, also vehicle strikes.

Distribution

This subspecies occurs in the humid and subhumid south-west; mainly in hilly interior, north to Gingin (formerly to Dandaragan) and east to Mt Helena (formerly to Toodyay), Christmas Tree Well near Brookton, North Bannister (formerly to Wandering), Mt Saddleback, Kojonup, Rocky Gully, upper King River and east to the Green Range. It is endemic to Western Australia.

Breeding

Nesting in hollows of Marri, Jarrah, Wandoo, Karri and Bullich trees. Eggs laid on wood chips at the bottom of the hollow in March-December; clutch 1 (rarely 2). Incubation period 29–31 days and only the female incubates and broods the chick. Hatchlings covered in sparse yellow down.

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Forest Red-tail Black Cockatoo - English - Info Sheet.pdf357.73 KB
Forest Red-tail Black Cockatoo - Arabic language اللغة العربية- Info Sheet.pdf483 KB
Forest Red-tail Black Cockatoo - Chinese Simplified - Info Sheet.pdf433.99 KB
Forest Red-tail Black Cockatoo - Chinese Traditional - Info Sheet.pdf490.11 KB
Forest Red-tail Black Cockatoo - Dutch - Info Sheet.pdf359.35 KB
Forest Red-tail Black Cockatoo - French - Info Sheet.pdf435.1 KB
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Forest Red-tail Black Cockatoo - Japanese - Info Sheet.pdf454.34 KB
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