. red tailed black cockatoo
Calyptorhynchus banksii
graptogyne - the endangered south-eastern subspecies of the Red
tailed Black Cockatoo was the mascot of the 2006 Commonwealth Games held
in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The mascot was known as Karak.
Known population is about 1000 birds. Aviary Notes: Level Of Knowledge Required: Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced / Specialist Breeders Only. Government Regulations & By-Laws: Refer to " Government Laws " web page. Housing Requirements: Refer to " Housing Birds " web page for general details on the housing of Cockatoos or read on for specific details for this parrot. An aviary of 8 metres long will allow these birds to be able to get adequate exercise. The aviary should be about 1.5 to 1.8 metres wide and about 2.4 metres high. Heavy gauge wire is necessary, preferably weldmesh. Suitable non-toxic leafy branches can be placed in the aviary for the birds to chew up. This will entertain the birds, help minimize boredom and give the birds some beak exercise. Natural branches can be used for perches. These natural perches will be chewed by the birds and may need to be replaced regularly. Diet / Feeding: Refer to " Feeding Birds " web page for general details on the feeding of Cockatoos or read on for specific details for this parrot. Native seed diet include Acacia, Banksia, Casuarina, Eucalypt, Hakea and the introduced Pine species as well as the nuts and fruiting bodies. Branches, seeds and cones of these trees and other suitable native plants should be offered to the birds. This will provide them with hours of physical activity and mental stimulation as well as a varied diet. The aviary diet include a variety of fruits and vegetables along with nuts, seeds, sprouted or soaked seeds, leafy green vegetables and greenfoods such as chickweed and dandelion. Many parrots will eat insects such as grubs and mealworm larvae, pupa and mealworm beetles. Supplementary feeds, calcium food additives and mineral and vitamin supplements as directed by veterinary advice. Commercial Parrot pellets can form part of a balanced food intake. The feed bowls should be fixed in place or made unmovable. Loose bowls will often be upturned or played with as a toy or play item. Nesting: A basic overview only. Dimensions are typical / average and can vary widely, influenced by the owner's preferences and the birds preferences. Parent bird's preferences can also be influenced by the size and type of nest-box / log in which the bird was hatched and reared. If space allows, offering a choice of sizes and types of logs or nest-boxes, and placed in various locations within the aviary, can allow the parent birds to make their own choice. Once a pair has chosen a specific nest-box/log and been successful in it, offer that one to them each breeding season. Try and keep that one for their exclusive use. Once a pair has chosen its log or nest-box, the other ones can generally be removed. If the "spare" boxes are to be removed and moved to another flight, ensure the log / nest-box is cleaned to ensure the receptacle has the minimal contamination of mites, parasites and pathogens. A solid log is the preferred nest for large cockatoos.
Timber nest-boxes generally require a climbing structure attached inside the box below the entrance hole. Both logs and nests need an entrance hole/opening about 100 - 150mm (about 4 -6 inches) from the top. Many species of parrots like the entrance hole to be just big enough to squeeze through. Some parrot breeders do not place a "top" or lid on the larger nest log or box and allow the birds to enter the nest via the top opening. More details on parrot nestboxes/logs and a selection of parrot nestbox/log photos can be found on the "nests", "parrot nests" and "parrot nestbox photos" web pages. Click on "Up" then "Nests" then "parrot nests" and "parrot nestbox photos" in the navigation bars. Breeding: Egg Colour White. Clutch/s per year 1. Eggs per nest 1 or 2.. Usually produce one young per clutch. Incubation approx. 28 days. Fledge approx. 12 weeks. Independent approx. many months and may be fed by a parent till the parents start the next clutch the next year. It is essential to correctly identify the sub-species of each bird prior to breeding. Do not mix sub-species. These birds can become aggressive at breeding season and may attack the keeper. Nest boxes are best positioned so the nest inspection can be carried out from outside the aviary. Nest inspection is best done when the adult birds are out of the nest. In the wild young birds may stay in close proximity to the parent birds till the start of the next breeding season learning the correct social skills and species specific behaviour. Many skills or behaviour can be learnt by visual observation. If possible, the young birds should be kept in the company of other young Red tailed black cockatoos, or near pairs of adult birds, so they can learn the appropriate social, behavioural and feeding skills for their species. Young birds that imprint with their own species may be better, more reliable breeders when they attain breeding age. Birds that imprint with their own species may form stronger pair bonds with their mate at breeding time. Properly imprinted and socialised birds usually display less behavioural problems. Some breeders allow the birds to rear the clutch and are happy with one clutch of one bird per year. Another practise is to remove eggs as they are laid and to incubate the eggs and hand raise the young. Removing the eggs as they are laid will usually stimulate the hen to lay more eggs. This is a natural occurrence in the wild if eggs are taken by predators. If the hen and cock bird's breeding cycle is not synchronised, the removal of the first eggs and placing those eggs in an incubator minimizes the chances of the hen sitting on infertile eggs. Artificial incubation and hand rearing or fostering will not be covered on this web site. It is too complex and diverse in nature to be attempted here. Health Issues: Refer to "Avian Health Issues" web page for information and references.
General References: Refer to references listed on "Book References" web page. Specific References:
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