Black Cockatoo, Perth WA, Spetember 2015 (1 Viewer)

[Wirral Rover]

I saw a small group of white-tailed black cockatoos in Perth.
Bibra Lake area on 20th September 2015.
Cannot decide if they are Carnaby's or Baudin's. Both species seem to have black bills and pink around the eye in males from what I have read.
Any comments welcome.

 

[Val35]

I'd say Carnaby's Black Cocatoo since the upper mandible is pretty wide at its base and not curved enough for Baudin's IMO...They are easier to id on calls.

 

[Wirral Rover]

Thank you for your thoughts, Val35.
Unfortunately I did not make a note of any calls, and cannot remember anything now. So many new birds to identify!

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Just going on Ebird records, there are quite a lot of records of Carnaby's from that area but no records at all of Baudin's. In terms of likelihood Carnaby's is much more probable.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Agree with above on abundance, and think what can be seen of the bill points to Carnaby's too. It's really difficult to get a good view at the right angle with the bill wide open for long enough. Slightly more head-on white-billed birds with their mouths fully open are probably easiest!

 

[Wirral Rover]

Sorry for the delay in replying. But thank you for the comments. Looks like probable Carnaby's.
If I ever get back to Australia, I will pay more attention to calls!