![]() Different males often produce different beat patterns, and individual males can have favored beats. These drum displays may be territorial displays, but they also seem to have a courtship function, as they are often directed at females, who pay close attention to them. They will also sometimes drum on their perches with their bare feet. Males will take a branch, strip of bark, or hard seed pod, and use it as a drumstick. In Australia, Black Palm Cockatoo males will advertise their presence around nest holes with an impressive display that includes calling, whistling, bowing, wing spreading, and drumming. Eclectus Parrots also need large tree cavities to nest in, but on Cape York, they typically nest in rainforests and tend to nest in different tree species than do the palm cockatoos They must compete with other birds of their own species for nest sites, as well as with Sulphur-crested Cockatoos. Finding a suitable nest hole is a challenge for Black Palm Cockatoos. It gets very rainy on Cape York at this time, so upward-facing nests in tree snags must have good drainage or chicks can drown. The sticks help with drainage.īreeding season for Black Palm Cockatoos in Australia occurs from August to February. Like other cockatoos, Black Palm Cockatoos nest in tree cavities, which they fill with sticks to a depth of about 2 m. Woodland habitat in Iron Range National Parkīlack Palm Cockatoos in Australia prefer to nest in woodlands that are close to rainforests, although in New Guinea they often live and nest in large tracts of pure rainforest. There are also species that can be found near the ground as well, such as Australian Brush Turkeys. The dense canopy of the Cape York rainforest makes spotting birds a challenge, but the rewards are worth it, as the birds are spectacular, and include two species of Birds of Paradise, Eclectus Parrots, and colorful forest kingfishers. Walking through the rainforest isn’t always easy, as the ground can be covered in vines, thick tree roots, and decaying vegetation. The trees in Cape York rainforests can grow up to 35 meters high and many are draped in thick vines and have other plants growing on their bark. The rainforests grow where soils are moist, and they are lush and dense, with little sunlight reaching the ground. Iron Range has both, making it an ideal place to view these cockatoos. In Australia, Black Palm Cockatoos prefer to live in landscapes characterized by a mosaic of closed, dense rain forests, and open, dry woodlands. A large proportion of the other people we encountered in the park were also birders, and we exchanged birding tips and sightings with many of them. I went there with a birding tour group during the dry season, when all roads were open. Getting there can require some planning, as it is in a remote location that can be unreachable by car during the wet season due to flooding. Iron Range is an excellent place for birders, as it is the only place in Australia where many gorgeous species, including Eclectus and Red-cheeked Parrots, can be found. I saw Black Palm Cockatoos in the Iron Range (Kutini-Payamu) National Park, which is on the east side of the Cape York Peninsula. The Cape York Peninsula was once connected to New Guinea, and the two places therefore share many aspects of their flora and fauna. Black Palm Cockatoos can be found there north of the Archer River, and they are the only black cockatoo whose range extends outside of Australia, as they also occur in the lowlands and foothills of New Guinea, the Aru Islands, and other off-shore islands of New Guinea. The Cape York Peninsula is in the far northwest of Australia, with its tip being the northernmost point of the continent. It also has miles of pristine beaches, coastal mangrove forests, and river systems, all filled with fascinating wildlife. The Peninsula is also a wonderful place for people like myself who appreciate unspoiled wilderness, as it is sparsely populated and covered in rainforests, woodland savannahs, wetlands, and heathlands. I chose to include the Cape York Peninsula in my itinerary, as it is home to parrots and other birds that I have long wanted to view in the wild. I recently traveled to Australia to view its wildlife and explore its more remote and wild landscapes. They are rare in captivity, especially in North America, and to view them in the wild, one must venture to the island of New Guinea or Australia’s Cape York Peninsula. Their behaviour is dramatic as well, as they use branches as drumsticks in their territorial displays. Black palms are the largest of the cockatoos, and their long, loose, crests and bright red facial patches give them a very dramatic look. The Black Palm Cockatoo, with its striking appearance and regal demeanour, is a bird guaranteed to turn the heads of parrot-lovers. The Black Palm Cockatoos of the Cape York Peninsula Note: This is an article I wrote about Black Palm Cockatoos for “Parrots” magazine.
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