That Bird Blog – Bird Care and History for Pet Birds
A pair of highly endangered Forest Red-Tailed Black Cockatoos, Calyptorhynchus banksii naso, has hatched a chick in an artificial nest box located in Perth, Australia. The box was erected as part of a conservation effort launched by the Western Australian Museum and Murdoch University. The nesting is significant because it represents both the first time this species has accepted an artificial nest and the first known breeding in an urban setting.
Unique Threats and Considerations
The Forest Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo faces “typical” problems such as habitat loss, but is also plagued by several unique threats and an unusual breeding biology…all of which complicated the formation of a recovery plan.
Black Cockatoos have very specific nest-site requirements, and once a suitable nesting hollow is located a pair generally uses it for many years. Over the past several decades, Black Cockatoos in natural habitats have come under pressure from burgeoning populations of feral honeybees and of other cockatoo species, including Galahs and Corellas. These aggressive insects and birds take over Black Cockatoo nests and severely impact the species’ ability to reproduce. Read More »
