Hi I am a landscape ecologist at the University of New England.
I am commencing a project to examine landscape interactions with yellow tailed black cockatoos.
We have identified some roosting sites around the town of Armidale, and wish to understand where these birds are travelling to and where they are feeding around the town.
if you have any information on sightings or have yellow tailed black cockatoos feeding in your yard.
please let me know, either by posting here or emailing me direct.
Regards
hamish campbell
Wow, that sounds like an interesting project- sorry I can't help, I live at the other end of the state! What are you trying to find out about how YTB Cockatoos interact with the landscape? Is it an investigation of how YTBs and introduced conifers seem to go together?
We will certainly be investigating what species of trees that the YTC's us for nesting, food sources etc. but also what level of fragmentation they tolerate and how far they migrate during the winter.
Not sure if you are still collecting data, but I live at Gowrie, 30kms South of tamworth and have just spotted two yellow tailed black cockatoos eating my apricots. Very active and noisy. First time I have seen these beautiful birds in my yard.
There are many Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoo's in this area, more so at this time of year when a certain species of pine cone comes into maturity and the birds feast on them.
You will find many of them, often with juveniles, around Hartley, Hartley Vale, Bell, Clarence, Mount Victoria, Blackheath and Medlow Bath areas of the Blue Mountains west of Sydney.
I know they don't nest in this area, they just come for the pine cones, similar to the Gang Gang Cockatoo's which only appear in the warmer months here.
There was a lady that wrote a request into the Blue Mountains Gazette a few weeks back requesting similar information, she was connected with a university down in Sydney too.
My husband and I are house sitting in Emerald in Vic. and have seen a flock of 6 almost daiily for the past three weeks. They come and sit in the tall pine trees that are on this property. I also saw 3-6 at Marlo on an overnight stop three weeks ago.
This is the time of year when birders living within the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo's range can expect to see large flocks. Today 42 passed over our place on the south eastern slopes of the Mt Lofty Ranges in SA.
They are on decline in the Blue Mountains area here in NSW as they have virtually exhausted the pine cones on the trees around here.
Now only see maybe six maximum throughout the day, they have moved on following the food trail I guess.
We now have Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos taking advantage of the Hakeas & Banksias at our place. Wonderful to see - & hear.