The keepers at Australias' Taronga Conservation Society have proudly announced a very special new arrival, a Glossy Black Cockatoo chick. The chick hatched on the 25th of May, and initially only resembled a small ball of yellow fluff with one very large beak making it very cute looking indeed. 

First time mother Gloucester was hatched at Taronga in 2004 with the help of bird keepers as her mother had never raised a chick properly before. Poor Gloucester also fell ill 12 months ago, so has really come around to pair up, lay, incubate her own egg and now also be a great mum! 

Photo Credit: Taronga Conservation Society

At seven weeks of age the chick is doing very well and will be expected to fledge from its tree hollow in around three weeks time. This will be when visitors may glimpse Gloucester and her chick exploring their dense Bush bird aviary opposite the Koala Walkabout at the top of the zoo. 

It has been seven years since Taronga Zoo was last successful at hatching a Glossy Black Cockatoo — Being both complex and specialised in their needs, there have been many challenges along the way. But they finally led to this very welcome event.