Yellow Tailed Blacks are regular visitors to my mother's property, just out
of Geelong. They pass through, pausing to feeding on the seeds from Pinus
sp. cones as well as Allocasuarina cones and other native trees. These birds
always remain high in the trees.
Likewise, there is a, sometimes sizeable (flocks of 50 have been reported)
population of these birds along Merri Creek, (Melbourne N suburbs) and
suburbs to the east. Here they often feed on boring beetle and moth larvae
in standing, sometimes dead, trees. They remain up in the trees. While they
seem reasonable unperturbed by people on the nearby bike path, they show no
interest in humans and any artificial food sources.
While I have seen Black Cockatoos feeding on hakea seeds (I think), on and
close to the ground in very low coastal heathlands in Croajingalong NP, East
Gippsland and other places. This has always been in 'wild',
un(human)-populated places.
Currently, despite dire predictions some decades back, these particular
Black Cockatoos appear to be doing well. Participation in local revegetation
projects, to provide suitable habitat for them and other birds and wildlife
is a great way to help them. Outside the immediate area supporting campaigns
to retain old growth forests with trees with suitable nesting hollows is
also very important.
They are magnificent birds and we are fortunate and privileged that they are
sharing our urban areas with us. Leave then to and enjoy them doing their
natural thing is my advice.
Wendy Moore
|
