When early European explorers first landed on the shores of Australia all those years ago they were doubtless very confused not only by the strange, hostile landscape, but also by the whacky animals. This continues today as tourists flock to our country to see the weird and wonderful wildlife. The stars include the iconic marsupials such as kangaroos and koalas, as well as some of our more colourful bird species, like the Rainbow Lorikeet. I doubt many tourists come to see the Black-cockatoos, in fact most have probably never heard of them, as they tend to avoid urban centres, and are quieter and more subdued than some of our other cockatoos (e.g. the raucous sulphur-crested cockatoo).
Taxonomy: Aves: Psittaciformes: Cacatuidae: Calyptorhynchinae: Calyptorhynchus
At the moment, there are five species of Black-cockatoo, all in the genus Calyptorhynchus, which translated from the original Greek means "hidden beak". Black-cockatoos sometimes fluff up their facial feathers (or "chops" as I like to call them), which partly obscures their beak. Hence the name.
You could be forgiven for thinking that the Palm Cockatoo, and Gang-gang Cockatoo are Black-cockatoos, however technically they are not, and fall into a different subfamily. Taxonomy can get confusing. As those of us who work on black-cockatoos like to say: Palm Cockatoos and Gang-gangs are cockatoos that are black, not Black-cockatoos. So, where were we…
The Black-cockatoos can be loosely split into three species of “white-tailed” cockatoos (Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo, Carnaby’s Black-cockatoo, and Baudin’s Black-cockatoo), and two species of “red-tailed” cockatoos (Red-tailed Black-cockatoo, and Glossy Black-cockatoo). Indeed, the three white-tailed species were, until recently, classified as one species. Again, taxonomy is confusing and taxonomists seem to be incapable of making up their minds about species classifications!
Yellow-tailed black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus funereus)
This is the species of black-cockatoo that I grew up with in Eastern Australia. Small flocks of them would fly in to town to decimate the pine trees in people’s back-yards, dropping pinecones onto cars, before flying off to somewhere else. There have been few studies of this species. The yellow-tailed black-cockatoo is not currently listed as threatened at a federal or state level, but probably should be.
Carnaby’s black-cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus latirostris)
Carnaby’s black-cockatoo is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia, and is listed as Critically Endangered at a federal level under the EPBC Act and as Specially Protected Fauna in WA. Carnaby’s have received a lot of attention in recent years and there is quite a bit of research published with regards to their ecology and conservation. Carnaby’s are often seen in and around Perth in the non-breeding season, before they migrate to the wheatbelt to breed.
Baudin’s black-cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus baudinii)
Baudin’s Black-cockatoo is also endemic to SW WA, and is listed as Endangered under the EPBC Act. To the untrained eye (and ear) Baudin’s are indistinguishable to Carnaby’s, which makes it very difficult to study either species separately. The main morphological difference between the two species is bill shape, Baudin’s have a much longer and narrower bill than Carnaby’s (see photos). The two species also differ in call, habitat requirements, and habitat use. There have been few studies of Baudin’s Black-cockatoo.
Red-tailed black-cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii)
The Red-tailed Black-cockatoo is the largest of the black-cockatoos. The species is widespread across mainland Australia and is recognised to have 5 subspecies, two of which are listed as threatened. The south-eastern subspecies (C. b. graptogyne) is listed as Endangered at both a federal level under the EPBC Act and state level (South Australia and Victoria). The south-western subspecies (C. b. naso) is listed as Vulnerable under the EPBC Act. Both C. b. graptogyne and C. b. naso are highly restricted in their range and habitat preferences.
Glossy black-cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami)
The Glossy Black-cockatoo is found in eastern Australia, with a population also found on Kangaroo Island. Glossy Black-cockatoos used to be found on mainland South Australia as well, but have been extirpated due to habitat loss. Glossy Black-cockatoos are very restricted in their diet, they feed exclusively sheoak (Casuarina sp. and Allocasuarina sp.). These very specific requirements mean that they are very sensitive to habitat changes. The Kangaroo Island subspecies is listed as Endangered under the EPBC Act and has been extensively studied, which has provided many insights into the species.
This post has barely scratched the surface of Black-cockatoos and the research being undertaken on each species. Future posts will expand on each species, so stay tuned!