Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus/Zanda funereus

Juvenile male - upper beak turned black; lower beak still light
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo female
The Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo is the largest species of cockatoo, reaching 65 cm length (5 cm more than the Goliath). It has a short crest and long tail and is native to east/southeast Australia.
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo female
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo male
Males (above right) have a dark beak and pink eye-rings; females (above left) and juveniles have a light beak and grey eye-rings. Females have less extensive but brighter yellow cheeks.
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo juvenile male
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo juvenile male
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo juvenile male
The young male's upper beak turns dark at 2 years and the lower beak turns dark at 4 years. A subspecies in Tasmania and the far southeast of South Australia, the Southern Yellow-tailed Black, C. f. xanthanotus, is much smaller, - some 55cm length rather than 65. Its plumage has more yellow edging to feathers on the chest/belly.
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo
Unusually for parrots, in addition to eating seeds/plant matter they also eat insect larvae, particularly wood-boring caterpillars for their young.
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo female Cracking an almond nut takes time and skill.
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo - the nutcracker Held with tongue and "hand" leaves beak free to work on shell (most parrots are left-footed).
The nutcracker Success at last - she breaks the shell open.
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo female Female (light beak and dark eye-ring, brighter yellow cheek).
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo juvenile male Juvenile male (dark upper beak, light eye-ring developing).
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo male Adult male (dark beak and light eye-ring).
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