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Red-tailed Black Cockatoo (juvenile)
Calyptorhynchus banksii macrorhynchus
-17.35, 123.67
Field Notes
Description:
This is a juvenile Red-tailed Black Cockatoo. "Juvenile red-tailed black cockatoos resemble females until puberty, which occurs around four years of age, but have paler yellow barred underparts. As the birds reach maturity, males gradually replace their yellow tail feathers with red ones; the complete process takes around four years." (Wiki) Check out this little video of this one's squeaky, begging call while it sits with the male: https://youtu.be/lhkHhCK6Js0
Habitat:
Had come in for a drink at the long cattle trough near the Prison Boab Tree.
Notes:
Here is the link to the female: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/549067928
Here is the link to the male: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/841521649
Oftentimes I have seen these magnificent birds hanging out in groups of 2 or 3 and other times in large groups as they land in a tree to roost for the night. This little young one was with both the female (see pic 4, juvenile on the L) and the male (see pic 5, juvenile at the Front). See pic 3 for whole family on the trough. While others of this subspecies are listed as Vulnerable, Endangered or otherwise, this particular subspecies appears to be abundant but little studied...
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