2008077212-webtile.jpg
Calyptorhynchus lathami

The Glossy Black Cockatoo is a highly sociable animal. Whilst local sightings are very rare, if you do spot them, it will likely be a single individual or in small groups of up to four birds.

They have red or orange-red tail panels, alongside their mostly black feathers. You may see some yellow markings on their head.

The Glossy Black-Cockatoo mates for life, with pairs maintaining their bond all year round. The female prepares the nest hollow (they require tree hollows to breed) and incubates the eggs. Males feed the female and nestling for a time and once fledged, the young bird is fed by both parents for up to four months and remains with them until the next season.

They only eat seeds from mature Allocasuarina (endemic to Australia) and Casuarina trees, meaning the last remaining stands of these trees are vitally important to the future of the Glossy Black Cockatoo in Sydney. They are a vulnerable species in NSW.