The yellow-tailed black cockatoo, calyptorhynchus funereus, are regular visitors in this area. These majestic birds, growing to around 55 - 60cm in length, are an impressive sight when in flight, particularly when in flocks.

The coast banksias, prolific around here, are a big attraction for this cockatoo as they eat their seeds, often arriving in family groups of usually three birds, two adults and a very noisy youngster, but sometimes in flocks of sixty or more birds.

The birds grasp the seed pod in one foot and tear the pod apart.

In large flocks they move through the banksias dropping parts of the banksia pods they haven't eaten. They like the seeds and crack open the pods with their large strong beaks.

They also feed on grubs found inside the flooded gums and other trees. They listen for the grub before commencing their extraction using their amazing beaks to rip the bark and wood away until they reach the hole the grub has made inside the tree. The sound of them tearing the bark and wood away from the gum is eerie. The photo shows a young flooded gum having been attacked by the cockatoo. This tree will probably break off at this point but may continue to grow from the break.

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