There is nothing more beautiful than hearing the screech of a cockatoo. It is a unique sound that sadly many Australians have never heard. The Red-tailed black cockatoo is listed as endangered. How sad if we loose this amazing bird.
Photo credit: Richard Fisher/Wikimedia
The red band is seen across the birds tail. This bird is found in very small areas of land that straddles the southern border of Victoria and South Australia.
Sadly the population estimates are very vague and since 1989 it is thought that only 500 -1000 birds are surviving in their small habitat. The Red-tailed cockatoo has a specific diet of seeds from desert and brown string bark gums. It is because the trees are only found in certain areas and are very localised that we are losing these magnificent birds. Once again we are a large part of the loss of the red-tailed cockatoos. Due to land clearing for expanding agriculture the birds food sources and nesting areas are being cleared. This makes the birds without food to survive and no nest sites in the trees for reproduction.
How can we help save the Red Tailed Cockatoo?
Photo credit Bob McPherson.
Please go to Red Tailed Black Cockatoo web page and see how you can report a sighting or make a donation to help plant trees for the Red-tails survival.