Category: Western Australia

 

 

Above, is the most “heraldic” photo I have taken of a Forest red-tailed black cockatoo.

She is the same individual as in #20, this post’s “moment” happened a fraction of a second earlier.

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Late afternoon, in a recently-burnt section of Shenton Bushland, a female Forest red-tailed black cockatoo spreads both wings and tail..

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From behind, as a female Forest red-tailed black cockatoo “lifts off” from a so-called “Cape Lilac” tree…

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“Routine maintenance”.

Our heroine is more spectacular than the “average” bird, but in this photo she is engaging in a necessary activity which all birds undertake.

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This post’s heroine is the same individual as in this series previous chapter.

Very few seconds elapsed between their two moments.

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In crested mode/mood, enjoying the late afternoon air…

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“Feeding time” is not the only time that a red-tail’s flexibility and dexterity are spectacularly evident.

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Forest red-tailed black cockatoos are very limber.

Their bodies’ flexibility is often spectacularly evident, whilst the power and dexterity of their “footwork” makes me highly sceptical about some claims made about the “unique” abilities of the human hand.

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Here, unmistakably, is a male, with crest evident.

As you can see, he was clearly aware of our presence, but not troubled by it.

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If you only ever saw black cockatoos in flight, or eating,  you could be unaware that their head feathers are “convertible”.

Thus engaged, the tops of their heads are smooth –  an uninterrupted continuation from the back of the birds’ backs.

However, once a black cockatoo has a good look around, or is “socialising” whilst his or her feet are locked onto something solid….voila!

Suddenly, you are looking at a crested bird.

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