Zanda funerea
The Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, *Zanda funerea*, is a striking and substantial parrot native to southeastern Australia, commanding attention with its impressive size, reaching 55-65 cm (22-26 inches) in length and boasting a wingspan up to 110 cm (43 inches), weighing between 600-900g (1.3-2 lbs). Its plumage is predominantly smoky-black, dramatically contrasted by a vibrant yellow panel on its tail feathers and a distinctive yellow patch on each cheek. These field marks, combined with its ...
These cockatoos primarily inhabit eucalypt forests and woodlands, ranging from moist coastal areas to drier montane regions, and are increasingly found in suburban environments with mature trees. They can be found from sea level up to elevations of approximately 2,000 meters.
Their diet primarily consists of seeds from native trees (eucalyptus, hakea, banksia) and introduced pines, supplemented by wood-boring insect larvae (grubs) which they excavate from timber, and occasionally nectar and fruits.
Diurnal by nature, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos are active throughout the day, often seen foraging in large, sometimes noisy, flocks before returning to communal roosts in tall, sheltered trees at dusk. Their foraging strategy involves powerful bill work, tearing apart seed pods of native plants...
The Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo is endemic to southeastern Australia, with its distribution spanning from the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, eastward through Victoria and New South Wales, and extending north to the mid-coastal region of Queensland. Isolated populations also exist on Tasmania...
Least Concern
- The Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo can live for up to 50 years or more in the wild, making them one of Australia's longest-lived bird species. - Their incredibly powerful beaks are capable of crushing the hardest seed pods and tearing through tough timber to access grubs. - They are often seen fe...