It’s not every day that you meet a rock star! Meet Elvis the Red Tailed Black Cockatoo, Wildlife Habitat’s resident cele-bird-ty! 

About Elvis the Red Tailed Black Cockatoo

Elvis was born around 1980 and shot to fame 8 years later in Brisbane at the World Expo in 1988. This event attracted more than 15,760,000 visitors!

Fast forward 30 years and this perfect “pretty boy” can often be seen preening himself and sneaking up on our guests to show off his glossy plumage.

Fame seems to have gotten to Elvis’s head, as he is often spotted making his way to the bright lights of our photo hut to have his picture taken!

Our guests adore this cheeky cockatoo and his social nature makes him want attention from every guest that enters the park.

When he’s not melting our guests hearts, this red tailed black cockatoo can be spotted raiding one of the nearby food bowls or serenading to himself.

Ah Elvis, we just can’t help “falling in love with you”…

Red Tailed Black Cockatoos: All You Need To Know

With their vibrant streak of red feathers, red tailed black cockatoos are undeniably one of Australia’s most beautiful native birds. But how much do you know about these feathery residents? Today we answer burning FAQs about Red Tailed Black Cockatoos.

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Where can I find them in the wild?

They can be found in all states in mainland Australia and there are 5 distinct subspecies.

How long do Red Tailed Black Cockatoos live?

They live around 45-50 years in captivity

What is their habitat?

These birds live in a wide variety of habitats, especially eucalypt and casaurina forests and woodlands.

What do they eat?

These cockatoos are seed eaters and feed on native plants such as eucalyptus calophylla, proteas, casuarinas and marri

How fast can they fly?

They can fly up to 70 KM per hour.

Do the male and female birds look the same?

Red Tailed Black Cockatoos are sexually dimorphic, meaning that the male and female birds look different. Male birds have a black plumage, dark grey bill and two bright red panels in their tail feathers. On the other hand, females are black with yellow spotted cheeks and wings and yellow-orange striped tails

Can they talk?

They can repeat a few words, although they are comparatively quiet compared to other cockatoo species.

Are they migratory?

Although this bird species are not wholly migratory, in various parts of Australia they display regular seasonal moments.

What is its conservation status?

This cockatoo is protected under the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Wildlife Protection) Act 2001

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Adopt Elvis!

Want to help Elvis and the endangered and vulnerable species at Wildlife Habitat? Adopt Elvis today!