The Glossy Black-cockatoo is distributed in south-east Australia from Eungella in Queensland to the mouth of the Snowy River in Victoria. There is a very small isolated population of the sub-species C. l. halmaturinus on Kangaroo Island, SA.

These photos, taken at Mallacoota, Victoria are of the nominate sub-species. A third sub-species C. l. erebus is found in the north of its range.

They are very quiet birds so I was lucky that I met some birders who had found them and told me their whereabouts.

However, they do show the essential features of the birds. Firstly, the habitat which is casuarina (sheoaks) woodland. The birds seem to feed exclusively on the seeds of this tree.

They are browny-black with a round head and very small crest. They have a red panel on the tail which, in the case of the female is barred black as in photo 2. The female also has yellow patches around the head and throat as can be seen on the right hand bird in photo 1.