Black cockatoo facts for kids

Red-tailed black cockatoo pair

The black cockatoo is a general term for several types of amazing cockatoos that are mostly black. These special birds are native to Australia and are known for their striking dark feathers. They often have colorful patches on their tails or heads, which makes them easy to spot!

Discovering Black Cockatoos: Types and Traits

There are several kinds of black cockatoos, each with unique features. They are all part of the cockatoo family, but they look and live in slightly different ways.

The Palm Cockatoo

The Palm cockatoo, also called the great black cockatoo, is one of the largest and most impressive cockatoos. Its scientific name is Probosciger aterrimus. These birds are famous for their huge beaks and a patch of bare red skin on their cheeks that changes color when they are excited. They live in the rainforests of northern Australia and New Guinea. Palm cockatoos are known for using tools, like sticks, to drum on hollow logs!

The Calyptorhynchus Family

Most black cockatoos belong to a group called Calyptorhynchus. This group includes five different species, each with its own special look and habitat.

Red-tailed Black Cockatoo

The Red-tailed black cockatoo, or Calyptorhynchus banksii, is one of the most widespread black cockatoos. You can often see them in the drier parts of Australia. They are easy to recognize by the bright red panels on the underside of their tails, which really stand out against their black feathers. These birds are very social and often fly in large flocks.

Red-tailed black cockatoos are found across the northern half of Australia. They usually avoid areas with high humidity during the hot, wet summer season. When these cockatoos move around, they tend to follow their favorite food sources, which are often seeds from eucalyptus trees.

Glossy Black Cockatoo

The Glossy black cockatoo, Calyptorhynchus lathami, is a bit smaller than the Red-tailed black cockatoo. They have a beautiful glossy sheen to their black feathers. The males have bright red tail panels, while the females have yellow-orange patches. These cockatoos mostly eat the seeds from casuarina trees, which are a type of native Australian pine.

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo

The Yellow-tailed black cockatoo, Calyptorhynchus funereus, is found in southeastern Australia. As their name suggests, they have bright yellow patches on their cheeks and yellow panels on their tails. These birds have a distinctive, mournful-sounding call. They often feed on seeds from native trees and also enjoy eating insect larvae found in wood.

Short-billed Black Cockatoo

The Short-billed black cockatoo, Calyptorhynchus latirostris, lives in the southwestern part of Western Australia. These cockatoos have a shorter beak compared to some other species. They are known for their loud, wailing calls. Their diet mainly consists of seeds from proteaceous plants, like banksias and hakeas.

Long-billed Black Cockatoo

The Long-billed black cockatoo, Calyptorhynchus baudinii, also lives in southwestern Western Australia. They have a longer, narrower beak than the Short-billed black cockatoo, which helps them extract seeds from marri nuts. Like their short-billed relatives, they are also known for their loud calls and are often seen in large flocks.