Yesterday 29th August 2012. I sighted two Black Cockatoos at Mascot just near the corner of Bourke Rd and Gardners. They were being harrassed by noisy miners (what's new) and on the wing with a very slow/lazy flying style. I could hear them whistling. As far as I could see they were all black but as they're tails were not fanned I couldn't see whether they were red tails which would be rare this far south. I couldn't see yellow markings on the cheeks so I don't think they were yellowtails. Could have been the endangered Glossy Black which also has red bands on the tail and are known to live all down the east coast of NSW albeit rare to see.
I saw three about 6/8 months ago around Newtown/Chippendale they were also on the wing but quite low and definitely Cockatoos as I could hear their whistley call.
If anyone has more info please contact me.
Hi richman as a rule of thumb for me ,if you can hear black cockatoo before you see them they are yellow tails. Glosses blacks are a lot quieter on the wing . I have also see them ,G B C all the way down the south coast to, but still any black cockatoo is a good find in the city.
See it! Hear it!
Mid-North Coast NSW
Thanks for the reply Darin. On further investigation I feel you are right.
Would I be right in observing the yellow having a longer tail than the red or glossy? In the pics I have been able to find this seems to be the case. This would confirm for me they were yellows.
I have only seen them in the wild before in Berowra North of Sydney. Those ones were in a banksia and I could only see them through foliage.