Trevor’s Birding

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos

On my way to Adelaide on the South Eastern Freeway yesterday I saw about eight Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos slowly winging their way across the freeway. This magnificent species is relatively widespread in small numbers in the Adelaide Hills and Mt Lofty Ranges of South Australia.

I couldn’t stop to get a photo. I didn’t have my camera with me anyway. [sigh]

I must track down this species sometime and get a photo of our country’s largest parrot.

 

8 Responses to “Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos”

  1. Boobook Says:
    February 22nd, 2008 at 4:26 pm

    Last month a dead YTBC was brought in to show members at our bird group meeting, and the wing span was measured at a metre. One of my favourite birds.

  2. Trevor Says:
    February 23rd, 2008 at 10:19 am

    That is quite amazing. I knew they are big but didn’t realise they were THAT big. Thanks for the information.

  3. John Tongue Says:
    February 23rd, 2008 at 8:46 pm

    Hi Trevor and Boobook,
    We have regular YTBC’s visit our area - from one at a time to 38 we counted in one flock. There is always the story about “Black Cockatoos mean bad weather in the mountains”, but I’m not convinced. We seem to see them here at any time.

  4. Trevor Says:
    February 24th, 2008 at 8:38 am

    Hi John,

    You are blessed to have regular YTBCs visiting your patch. I’ve only ever once recorded this species on my home block - one of those wonderful occasions when I was outside and I heard 2 calling as they flew over.

    I remember the amazement I felt when finishing off a game of golf with a friend at Millicent in the south east of South Australia about ten years ago. It was just on sunset and a flock of over 200 flew overhead. Awesome indeed.

  5. John Tongue Says:
    February 24th, 2008 at 9:16 pm

    Trevor,
    They’re a great bird. I once saw the White-tailed version (Short-billed - is that Carnaby’s or Baudin’s, I can never remember) on a rushed trip to Perth. Almost as impressive as the YTBC!

  6. Trevor Says:
    February 24th, 2008 at 9:34 pm

    The Short-billed is Carnaby’s. I’ve only seen the Long-billed - at least I think I have. My last visit to WA was in the 1970s and I was very inexperienced.

    We are well overdue for a return visit.

  7. John Tongue Says:
    February 25th, 2008 at 10:13 pm

    We hope to get to WA some time in 2009, so ‘look out!’ WA endemics.

  8. Trevor Says:
    February 26th, 2008 at 7:24 am

    Pick me up on your way through - or at least come and have a cuppa.

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