Kununurra cockies

Oh if I had my time over again! I was towing a trailer pop-up caravan through the busy regional town of Kununurra. We had the whole family on board when I spotted these guys feeding. I remember thinking they may just be funny shaped rocks but as we passed realised "Red-tailed blacks!" Well, there was no reversing or U-turning. I had to drive around the entire block and still negotiate a park in a non-trailer friendly spot!

Red-tailed black-cockatoo (female)

At this stage I was so unfamiliar with the bird that I didn't really appreciate the difference between the sexes. As it happens I have largely ended up with pictures of the females! Through the viewfinder & in the heat of the moment I'm afraid I wasn't being particularly observant. I must change that!

Further I didn't make any observation of what they were feeding on (and I still can't guess even with some close up views). I will be quite specific with my geotag. Maybe someone can help me out! I recall being under trees on a lawn nature strip in front of some sort of municipal building!

Female at front, male at rear. The male is "black with clear scarlet panels in tail". The female & immature birds have the yellow spots as seen. The female tail panels are "orange-yellow barred black" (descriptions from Pizzey)

I find the outline of the ground-feeding birds quite unusual (above & below)

Female tail-panels

Perceived "social pressure" meant I had to move on (kids waiting in the car, passers-by wondering what was this freak doing?) and I left the birds to their feast! If I had my time again ....

Bird on!