Is native to Australia. There are many different species, and they are in abundant numbers in northern Australia.
But the two species in the south – the “Forest Red-Tail” and the “South-eastern Red-Tail” are under threat.
Red-Tail Cockatoo’s will grow to around 60 centimetres in length.
They are sexually dimorphic. That is, there are different markings and shapes between males and females.
The male Red Tail is covered completely in black feathers, except for the prominent red-feathered tail.
The slightly smaller female are black with a yellow tinge on the chest, with red spots on their crest, tail & wings, and yellow-orange tail-stripes.
The Red-Tail holds the award for the first bird from eastern Australia drawn by a European!! A female drawn in 1770.
They are best suited to dry climates. Their main diet is eucalyptus seeds. They will also nest in the hollows of these trees.
The Red-Tail Cockatoo is a major target species for illegal smuggling operations. They fetch up to $US20,000 for a healthy Red-Tail overseas, and are a focus of the Wildlife Protection Act 2001.
