Description: Baudin’s Cockatoos are a brownish-black colour with feathers edged with white. There is also a white underside to their tail and a white covering over their ears.

Diet: Baudin’s Cockatoos are omnivores and feed on the seeds of Banksia, Hakea and Marri as well as fruit from local orchards. They also strip bark from dead trees in search of insect larvae.

In the wild: Cockatoos nest only in hollow trees. They use the same hollow year after year. Cockatoos first breed at 4-5 years of age and can live in excess of 50 years. Baudin’s Cockatoos usually lay two eggs every year in October. The female incubates and broods the one chick that survives. Male birds feed their mate during the incubation period. If two eggs are produced, usually only one chick survives.

Threats: Baudin’s Cockatoos have a very low rate of reproduction which means the population cannot quickly replace the large number of birds which have been shot by farmers. Habitat destruction is also a major cause as cutting down trees destroys the cockatoos’ nesting sites.

Saving Wildlife Together: Perth Zoo’s veterinary hospital has treated hundreds of injured wild black cockatoos, with some going on to be rehabilitated and released back into the wild. Perth Zoo is also involved in research into the health of wild black cockatoos.

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