Re: The wrong bird

["Philip Veerman" <>]

Hello again Stuart,

 

I sure hope you don't think birdos are whingers or that you aren't put off at some other time running a story like that. It was a good story and nice to have it on the front page. The value of the story is actually hardly impacted by a simple error. Those who know will recognise it and those that don't won't care. I suspect that the original information put together was correct but someone just used the wrong caption or picture. To clarify, I believe you put out a correction today that it was a Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo (which is Calyptorhynchus banksii) but, actually it is not. It is really a female Glossy Black-Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami). These are quite distinct species, although in just a colour picture they can look similar. The yellow around the neck as clearly shown in the painting, is diagnostic of the female Glossy Black-Cockatoo (along with many other differences). Also George Raper being based at Botany Bay would not have ever come across a Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo (that doesn't occur anywhere near there unless there has been a significant change in distribution). A quick look at any of the field guides to Aussie birds should verify this for you.

 

Philip