Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo

The Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo is a large, majestic cockatoo easily recognized by its brownish-black plumage, yellow cheek patches, and the bright yellow panels in its tail. Known for their mournful, wailing calls echoing through the eucalypt canopy, they live in family groups or small flocks, expertly using their massive bills to extract wood-boring beetle larvae and hard seeds from native trees.

Striking coloration featuring a rich brownish-black or dark grey base with a prominent, vibrant yellow-orange subterminal or central band across the inner and outer webs, terminating in a dark tip.

Pennaceous vane with tightly interlocked barbs and barbicels along the upper portion, transitioning to a slightly looser structure near the base. Intact and generally well-maintained.

Strong, stout, and slightly curved central rachis with a pale underside and dark upper side. Barbs are tightly packed and aligned at a steep angle to the rachis.

Smooth, firm, and relatively stiff vane with a matte to slightly satin finish. Strong structural rigidity designed to withstand aerodynamic pressure.

Tail (rectrix). Determined by the stiff rachis, symmetrical shape, and distinctive broad pattern suited for steering and braking during flight.

Distinctive dark brownish-black background contrasting sharply with a bright yellow or yellow-orange band across the feather, combined with the large size and robust rachis characteristic of large cockatoo rectrices.

Eucalypt forests, woodlands, pine plantations, and semi-arid scrublands, primarily in southeastern Australia.

Endemic to southeastern Australia, ranging from southern Queensland through New South Wales and Victoria to South Australia and Tasmania.

Acts as a primary seed predator and forest health indicator by controlling wood-boring insect populations and aiding in forest regeneration through seed dispersal.

Glossy Black-Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami) and Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii). The Yellow-tailed can be distinguished by its distinct yellow tail panels rather than solid red bars or smaller overall size.

These cockatoos play a vital ecological role by excavating tree branches in search of wood-boring grubs, creating hollows that are subsequently used as nesting sites by many other Australian hollow-nesting birds and mammals.

Highly significant to Indigenous Australian cultures, whose traditional stories and art often feature the bird. Feathers and down are sometimes used in traditional ceremonies and dance adornments.

Look for dropped feathers beneath large eucalypt trees or favored feeding sites where flocks have been extracting seeds from Banksia cones or wood-boring insects.

Good condition with minor wear at the very tip and some slight fraying at the base, indicating a naturally molted feather found outdoors.