This is the fourth species of parrot I have seen working at making this hollow opening larger just in this year. I have seen Rainbow lorikeet, Little Corella, and Galah all nibbling and scratching away at the opening to this hollow.
Last year Sulphur-crested Cockatoo successfully raised a gorgeous baby in this hollow, A few years ago Little Corella raised a baby here, and the year before a Galah baby was raised here. This year the Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are back and settled in.
Yellow-tailed black Cockatoos have investigated the hollow several times but have not made use of the hollow.
Good stuff Wollemi
How long does it take for the parrott to the hollow larger ?
Dont take life too seriously, it never ends well
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos require very deep, vertical hollows so they probably deemed this one unsuitable.
Laza,
there are several hollows that many parrots have worked on over the last year as I have been keeping watch on their behaviours. This particular hollow is very deep and has been worked on by four species of parrot that I have observed. This year in particular the parrots almost seem frantic in their work to make hollow entries larger, I have also observed them ringbarking branches and I presume this is to make them fall so a hollow will develop. I don't know if they ever stop, but I guess they must. This is a particularly large scribbly gum and the hollow is only about 4-5 metres from the ground. There are many smaller hollows further up the tree.
I find it interesting the SC cockatoos are making the entry larger as they have successfully bred in this hollow in past years.
Woko,
I suspect the YTB Cockatoos may be shy of this hollow because of its close proximity to our driveway/ house and how close the hollow is to the ground, more than by its depth as it seems to be a very deep vertical hollow.
Happy Birding!
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Good thought, Wollemi. You're probably right.
Interesting Obs
Ryu
Canberra
Aiming for DSLR-quality shots with a bridge camera
Wonderful photos too, i love the second picture.
elizabeth
Thank you! I find it to be an advantage to live where I live with such big old trees so I can watch the behaviours of so many birds over a period of time. I learn new things, and am able to make new hypotheses about behaviours often. I have really grown to respect the birds in our yard so much more by watching them, noting their interactions and interspecies interactions and patiently looking for their nests/hollows. I enjoy it a great deal.
Happy Birding!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/138588528@N02/
I share your joy, Wollemi.