Baudin’s Cockatoo

One of the two ‘forest cockatoo’ species, this bird also has a white tail but its call is closer to a ‘witch-a’ sound. This species eats a wide variety of foods; including native seeds, nuts, fruits and grubs. Much to orchardist’s disgust, Baudin’s cockatoos have discovered fruit orchards to be an easy meal. Although it is illegal to shoot these threatened species ($10,000 fine per bird), it’s still common practice by farmers and even some suburbanites that do it for fun.

Scientific Name: Calyptorhynchus baudiini

Named in honour of French explorer Nicolas Baudin, these birds are brownish-black in colour with whitish-yellowish feathers over the ears.

The MALE has a blackish bill and pink skin around it’s eyes.

The FEMALE has greyish skin and white skin around her eyes.

These precious birds are only found in Western Australia in a south west area, from just near southern Perth and east to Albany.  They are to be found in the southern Eucalypt forests and feeds mainly on Jarrah, Marri and Karri.  They also feed on Hakea, Banksia and fruiting apple and pear trees.  This iconic character loves to drink nector from flowers and strips bark from trees in search of beetle larvae.  They use their long bill to extract seeds from Marri, etc.

Baudins live for 25 – 50 years.

They nest in the hollows of very old Karri, Marri, Wandoo, Tuart and Bullich trees.  Only one or two eggs are laid at a time, with the female bird taking responsibility for incubation.  The male, however,  takes on the reponsibility of feeding and protecting the female while she does so.

This bird is threatened because of the large decline in numbers over the past 50 years.  Many of these birds are still being shot by some orchardists, desparate to protect their livelihoods.