Not all white-tailed black cockatoos are the same.

The region is a breeding stronghold for both white-tailed black cockatoo species, especially Baudin’s black cockatoo, which is a forest-dwelling species that nests high in karri and marri trees.

The Baudin’s cockatoo has distinctive characteristics, especially their feeding behaviour and habitat preferences.

These birds, named in honour of French explorer Captain Nicolas Thomas Baudin, stand out for their specialised feeding technique. Their long, narrow bill allows them to extract seeds from marri nuts (honkey nuts) with minimal damage to the nut’s exterior. This gives them an edge over other cockatoos like Carnaby’s and forest red-tailed black cockatoos, which have shorter, wider bills that require more effort to access the seeds inside.

That’s why finding and observing markings on marri nuts can often give an indication of which species are present. Their distinct ‘witcha, witcha’ call helps differentiate them from the other species.

Besides marri nuts, they also eat other seeds, nuts, nectar, grubs under bark and commercial fruits, which has historically led to shooting.

Baudin’s cockatoo is listed as critically endangered, with an estimated population of fewer than 10,000 individuals, and possibly as few as half that number. This contrasts with the more abundant yet still threatened populations of Carnaby’s, 40,000, and forest red-tailed black cockatoos, 15,000.

The breeding grounds of Baudin’s cockatoo are primarily in the karri forest, where they nest, often high in karri trees but also in marri, wandoo or tuart trees. They tend to migrate north for the winter, which is why they’re less commonly seen around Denmark during this time.

They typically move to places like Collie, Boddington, Chidlow and Araluen. Their migration and habitat needs, combined with their endangered status, make conservation efforts crucial for the survival of this species.

This article appeared in Denmark Bulletin, 15 May 2025.