What is a glossy black-cockatoo?
The glossy black-cockatoo is the smallest black cockatoo in eastern Australia. It feeds almost entirely on the seeds of she-oak trees and is listed as threatened in many areas.
Glossy black-cockatoos are dark brown-black with red tail panels. Females have yellow patches on their heads. They are quiet birds compared with other cockatoos.
They use their strong bills to crack open she-oak cones, extracting the seeds. They are fussy, often feeding from particular trees with the best seeds.
Kangaroo Island population
A small, separate population on Kangaroo Island was close to extinction in the 1990s, with only about 150 birds. Conservation work raised numbers to several hundred.
The 2019-20 bushfires burned much of their habitat.
They nest in large tree hollows, and on Kangaroo Island, metal collars are fitted around nest trees to stop possums climbing up to eat eggs. Planting she-oaks and protecting old trees are key parts of recovery work. The birds have also been helped by surveys involving local volunteers and landholders across eastern Australia.
Did You Know?
Glossy black-cockatoos usually raise only one chick every one or two years.