The Yellow-Tailed Black Cockatoo

The yellow-tailed black cockatoo is one of six black cockatoos found in Australia. It is easily distinguished by its mostly block feathers with a yellow tail and a bright yellow spot on the ear coverts.

Birdlife Australia lists the distribution of the Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo in south-eastern Australia ranging from Eyre Peninsula, South Australia to south and central eastern Queensland. The Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo inhabits a variety of habitat types, but favours eucalypt woodland and pine plantations. Small to large flocks can be seen in these areas, either perched or flying on slowly flapping wings.

The IUCN lists the conservation status of the bird as ‘Least Concern’. The population trend is listed is ‘stable’ which means he population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

While there are benefits to classifying animals according to their conservation status. It means for example species that are at risk of extinction can be identified and conservation plans put in place. On the other end of the spectrum however its means species such as the yellow-tailed cockatoo which are classed as ‘least concern’ means it could be easy to become too complacent about their conservation. Currently their population is stable but all it takes is something to happen such a disease to run through the population and all to quickly the numbers have declined before it is too late to do anything.

This is what happened to Tasmanian Devils. Where once they were abundant in Tasmania, they are now listed by the IUCN as ‘Endangered’ due to a contagious cancer that kills every animal it infects.

While it is important to identify species at risk of extinction, it is also important to look after all animals by such means as preventing loss of habitat and fragmentation.