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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Cacatuidae
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  5. Zanda
  6. ›
  7. Carnaby's Black Cockatoo
Carnaby's Black Cockatoo
Photo · By Photo by: Paulweberphoto - paulweberphoto.com - Own work, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=181915747

BirdUp · Species

Carnaby's Black Cockatoo

Zanda latirostris(Carnaby, 1948)

Updated 11 June 2026

Also known asNgoolark

Conservation status: EndangeredOrigin: Endemic
Order
PSITTACIFORMES
Family
Cacatuidae
Genus
Zanda

At a glance

The Carnaby's Black Cockatoo is a large bird, about 53–58 cm long, listed as Endangered and endemic to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
53–58 cm
Conservation status
Endangered
Origin
Endemic
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Rare
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Voice
  • Behaviour

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Carnaby's Black Cockatoo look like?

The Carnaby's Black Cockatoo is a large bird, about 53–58 cm long and weighing 520–790 g.

Carnaby's black cockatoo, also known as the short-billed black cockatoo, is a large black cockatoo endemic to southwest Australia. It was described in 1948 by naturalist Ivan Carnaby. Measuring 53–58 cm (21–23 in) in length, it has a short crest on the top of its head. Its plumage is mostly greyish black, and it has prominent white cheek patches and a white tail band. The body feathers are edged with white giving a scalloped appearance. Adult males have a dark grey beak and pink eye-rings. Adult females have a bone-coloured beak, grey eye-rings and ear patches that are paler than those of the males.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
53–58 cm
Weight
520–790 g
Wingspan
105 cm

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

Field tips

voice

  • Often very noisy with a distinctive "Wy-lah" call

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Carnaby's Black Cockatoo?

The Carnaby's Black Cockatoo is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

04 · Voice

What it sounds like

Call

Sam Hambly · Western Australia, AU

0s

Call

jimchurches · Western Australia, AU

0s

Call

smathichong · Western Australia, AU

0s

Call

smathichong · Western Australia, AU

0s

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Carnaby's Black Cockatoo eat?

The Carnaby's Black Cockatoo feeds on seeds of proteaceae and myrtaceae and casuarinaceae, usually foraging in forages for seeds in heath and woodland or often in large flocks.

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Carnaby's Black Cockatoo live in Australia?

The Carnaby's Black Cockatoo is endemic to Australia, recorded across 9 of Australia’s bioregions.

Breeding range
South-west WA (south-west Australia)
Non-breeding range
South-west WA (coastal areas including the Swan Coastal Plain and forests of the far southwest)