Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoo behavior

[Penn Gwynne <>]

Dear Mark and Allan, and all very learned ladies and gents of this list, could you help me please?

For some time now I have been lucky to have live near to my home a family of Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoo, always a pleasure for me to see these guys.

They excite my passion in birds and birding no end.

Lately they seem to have attracted a hanger on, so to speak. He's an Eastern Rosella, that seems to enjoy living his life with them? early this morning I noticed thee most unusual behavior between ER and what I think is a young male YTBC from the same family as mentioned?

I may become wrong about the sex of the young YTBC.

But what I saw this am stunned me. With the entire family of YTBC's close by, the ER decided to help out the young YTBC with his beak cleaning, looked like young YTBC had been feeding on some local seeds with a good covering over the outside of it's beak, probably caused by this fine scotch mist rain we had this am.

Now is this opportunism? or has the ER performed this task for some time? maybe taught by a parent? which is what I strongly suspect?

Or is this a case of I see my favorite food ... I'm brave, fearless .... I can get that food from an astounded by my gall Mum and Dad YTBC? it knew it could shock Mum and Dad YTBC? The drought must be hitting French Island eh?

Your thoughts would be most appreciated.

Yours Sincerely, John A. Gamblin ... one of the bird nuts they love to feed on.

 :^D>>>

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