The coy look, and striking beauty of her plumage is what attracted me to the female Red Tailed Black Cockatoo whom I have affectionately named “Priscilla”.
The red-tailed black cockatoo is native to Australia. Adult males have a characteristic pair of bright red panels on the tail that gives the species its name. The male’s plumage is all black with a prominent black crest made up of elongated feathers from the forehead and crown. The bill is dark grey. The tail is also black with two lateral bright red panels. Females are black with yellow-orange stripes in the tail and chest, and yellow grading to red spots on the cheeks and wings. The bill is pale and horn-coloured.
It is more common in the drier parts of the continent. Five subspecies are recognised, differing most significantly in beak size. Although the more northerly subspecies are widespread, the two southern subspecies, the forest red-tailed black cockatoo and the south-eastern red-tailed black cockatoo are under threat.
The species is usually found in eucalyptus woodlands, or along water courses. In the more northerly parts of the country, these cockatoos are commonly seen in large flocks. They are seed eaters and cavity nesters, and as such depend on trees with fairly large diameters, generally Eucalyptus. Populations in south-eastern Australia are threatened by deforestation and other habitat alterations.
Thank you to Keith Lightbody for providing the reference photo used as inspiration for this oil painting.
Unframed – 30cm x 60cm (12″ x 24″)
Framed – 41cm x 71cm (16″ x 28″)
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