Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus banksii Scientific name definitions

50–65 cm; 570–870 g; female smaller. Male uniformly black with broad red subterminal band across tail except on central two feathers; erectile, backward-sloping crest ; bill and feet dark grey. Female brownish black with numerous yellow spots on head and shoulders ; breast barred yellow; undertail-coverts barred orange-red; subterminal tail-band yellow-orange barred black, with central two feathers all black; bill bone-coloured; feet dark grey. Immature as adult female; male does not attain adult plumage until fourth year. Nominate race largest; naso has a proportionally large bill, while graptogyne lacks notch in upper mandible; large-billed race macrorhynchus rather similar to, and often confused with, C. lathami.

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Nominate race in forests across northern tropical Australia; <em>macrorhynchus</em> occurs in woodland in E Australia; samueli in semi-arid inland shrubland, and, more recently, in cropland; naso and graptogyne found in widely separated eucalypt forests of SW and SE Australia, respectively, with latter separated from samueli by extensive area of mallee-spinifex.

Dispersive, with seasonal pattern in some areas in response to availability of food; regular seasonal movements in N Australia. Parents may travel several kilometres to feed young.

Nominate race eats a variety of nuts and fruits gathered mainly from trees (Terminalia, Pandanus, Eucalyptus); samueli feeds much more on the ground, on a variety of burrs and hard seeds, e.g. double-gee (Emex) and Erodium; <em>naso</em> specializes in using its large strong bill to remove the large seeds from the 2–3 cm woody fruits of marri (Eucalyptus calophylla); graptogyne feeds on the fruits of a variety of forest eucalypts, especially red stringybark (Eucalyptus baxteri).

Commonest calls are a low-pitched grating rolling “krrah” and a slightly-higher pitched nasal “kee”, which are sometimes given in combination. Alarm call described as an abrupt “krurr-rak” and breeding call a repeated mechanical “waa-waa”.

Laying Mar–Oct in different parts of range. Nests in large, usually vertical hollows lined with woodchips. Clutch single egg  (rarely two), size 56·2 mm × 37·4 mm (race macrorhynchus) or 46·2 mm × 36·1 mm (race samueli) (3 Harrison, C. J. O., and D. T. Holyoak (1970). Apparently undescribed parrot eggs in the collection of the British Museum (Natural History). Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 90(2):42–46. Close ); incubation 28–32 days, by female, which is fed by male; chick  has long, dense yellow down  ; fledging 10–12 weeks. May breed twice in one year (autumn and spring); can renest after failure.

Not globally threatened. CITES II. Nominate and race <em>samueli</em> numerous and in no danger. Race macrorhynchus is often confused with C. lathami, and present status unclear. Race naso has more restricted distribution; status insufficiently known, but probably vulnerable; currently subject to study. Race graptogyne also has restricted range; in severe danger through loss of hollows for nesting in, as a consequence of fires, logging and habitat clearing for agriculture, and insufficient regeneration; endangered, with a population of less than 1000 birds with fewer than 100 breeding pairs; currently subject to study. Protection of breeding hollows from careless burning (naso) and felling for firewood (graptogyne) is essential for future survival of these races.