Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Parrots and Toucans · day 7 of 7

Five facts

1. While hunting for cossid moth grubs, these cockatoos give a soft, chuckling call.
2. A male puffs up his crest and spreads his tail to show the yellow band. He then bows three or four times.
3. They hunt cossid moth caterpillars all year, but most in June and July, when the grubs are biggest. They tear off bark to reach them.
4. These cockatoos nest in hollows of very old trees, often over 200 years old. One study in Victoria found an average of 228 years.
5. They fly with slow, deep wingbeats that look heavy yet smooth. Their loud, wailing cries can be heard from far away.

The quiz

1. What call do these cockatoos make when searching for cossid moth larvae?

• A loud screech
• A whistle
• A soft, chuckling call (correct)
• A drumming sound

They chuckle softly while searching for moth grubs.

2. How many times does the male bow in his courtship display?

• Three or four times (correct)
• Once
• Ten times
• Never

The male raises his crest, fans his tail, then bows three or four times.

3. What do the cockatoos strip to reach the hidden grub?

• Bark (correct)
• Leaves
• Pine cones
• Moss

They tear off bark to reach the grubs.

4. How old are the trees whose hollows these cockatoos nest in?

• About ten years
• Often over 200 years (correct)
• Around fifty years
• Only a few months

They nest in hollows of very old trees, often over 200 years old.

5. How do their loud, wailing calls travel?

• Only a few metres
• Only at dawn
• Only underwater
• For long distances (correct)

Their loud, wailing cries can be heard from far away.

More about the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo

Same week

All lessons

Nature documentaries