Red-tailed Black Cockatoo

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Red-tailed Black Cockatoo

Conservation status

Least Concern

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Psittaciformes
Family:	Cacatuidae
Subfamily:	Calyptorhynchinae
Genus:	Calyptorhynchus
Subgenus:	Calyptorhynchus
Species:	C. banksii

Binomial name

Calyptorhynchus banksii
(Latham, 1790)

Red-tailed Black Cockatoo range (in red)

Subspecies

C. (C.) b. banksii
C. (C.) b. graptogyne
C. (C.) b. macrorhynchus
C. (C.) b. naso
C. (C.) b. samueli

The Red-tailed Black Cockatoo, Calyptorhynchus banksii, is a large cockatoo native to Australia, being more common in the drier parts. Usually found in eucalypt woodlands, or along water courses, these seed-eating cockatoos are commonly seen in large flocks in the north of the country. Populations of the south-east region of Australia are threatened by clearing of native habitat.

They are one of the rarest and most expensive cage birds, usually costing over 20,000 USD. The scientific name honours the English botanist Sir Joseph Banks.

1 Description
2 Conservation
3 Popular culture
4 Gallery
5 References

[edit] Description

The Red-tailed black cockatoo male has a red panel in its tail and a gray beak while the female has yellow/orange stripes on its tail and chest with yellow spots on its cheeks and wings with a white beak, the juvenile red tail looks the same as the female until puberty ( about 4 years old ) where the males will replace their yellow tail feathers with red ones as they moult, it takes approx 18 months to grow into its male feathers. The father will start to attack his son as soon as one red tail feathers is exposed and they must be separated if they are caged.

They breed easily in cages and can lay eggs every 3 weeks between Feb - Nov ,the male will start to "sing" and strut along his perch ending in a jump and a flash of red tail feathers toward the female who most the time will reply by biting him (defensively ),once the female has one egg in her nest she will not lay another , the egg takes about 30 days to hatch , the babies eyes will open around 3 weeks and the yellow down will show black pin feathers at about 6 weeks , best time for had raising is at about 10 weeks when their black feathers are in place but the tail feathers are still short , the baby will fledge after about 4 months ,

[edit] Conservation

In Australia they are a protected species and a permit is required to keep them. There is an export ban on live , dead or parts ,including feathers , in Australia hand raised birds can sell for as low as AU$2500 and they make great pets , rarely bite ,very affectionate but wont talk like other parrots

[edit] Popular culture

The Red-tailed Black Cockatoo was the official mascot (named Karak [1]) of the 2006 Commonwealth Games, held in Melbourne, Australia.

[edit] Gallery

Red Tailed Black Cockatoo (male), Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia

Red Tailed Black Cockatoo (female), Whicher Range National Park, South-west Western Australia

Red Tailed Black Cockatoo (Juvenile Male), Darling Scarp, Roleystone, South-West Western Australia

[edit] References

BirdLife International (2004). Calyptorhynchus banksii. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern