In our segment Don showed a baby Red-tailed Black Cockatoo that had been bred in captivity. It was a curious little creature, resembling a tiny, fluff-covered dinosaur or lizard. Of all the Australian birds, Red-tailed Black Cockatoos have the sweetest natures and adapt well to captivity, although they don’t make good talkers. Early efforts to breed them were unsuccessful, but we now know more about their needs and they are living and breeding very well in captivity. A hollow log, about 1/2 a metre in diameter, makes a good nesting site. Only one chick is raised at a time, as black cockatoos are long lived and don’t need to produce large clutches of young. Much has been learned about these birds through programs such as ‘Cockatoo Care’, which was set up by the WA Water Corporation to monitor populations of cockatoos found in its water catchment areas.
Bird Spectacular
One group that is doing some fabulous work with the wild black cockatoos in Western Australia is the Avicultural Society of Western Australia. If you’d like to find out more about the Society and learn about all aspects of bird keeping and breeding, visit their Bird Spectacular (see details below). Birds and birdkeeping accessories will be on sale, and many species of birds will be on show, including cockatoos, parrots, finches, canaries, budgies, pheasants and waterfowl.
Further information
Bird Spectacular 2002
Claremont Showgrounds
June 1-3, 2002
Opening times: June 1 & 2: 10am-6pm, June 3: 10am-4pm
Admission: adult $7, pensioners/children $4, family pass $20
For more information phone 1902 290 540
Avicultural Society of Western Australia
www.birdswa.com/
WA Water Corporation Cockatoo Care website:
www.cockatoocare.com/