Rare orphaned yellowtailed black cockatoo chick makes remarkable recovery after being discovered at Marrickville Park

THE carer of an injured yellowtailed black cockatoo chick nursed it back to health against the odds, and now Angela Robertson-Buchanan is calling on people to help Opal learn how to fly.

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A RARE orphaned yellowtailed black cockatoo chick found injured at Marrickville Park earlier this year has made a remarkable recovery, defying expectations she was too malnourished to survive.

Now her carer is crowd-funding to pay for a special flying aviary, so the fledgling chick can learn to fly.

Local Ashfield artist and wildlife advocate Angela Robertson-Buchanan has already raised $1855 through a Go Fund Me campaign, and is hoping to make it to $2000.

Ms Robertson-Buchanan has been looking after Opal for months. Picture: Carly Earl

The Inner West Courier reported on the abandoned bird in June, as it was the first such discovery of a yellow-tailed black cockatoo by the inner west branch of WIRES.

“The poor little thing could hardly lift her head or sit on a perch and was incredibly skinny,” Ms Robertson-Buchanan said.

She nursed the three-month-old chick, nicknamed Opal, back to strength by feeding it every three hours with a special syringe (a crop needle) from sunrise to sunset.

She is now crowd-funding for a special flying aviary. Picture: Carly Earl

But although Opal recovered, Ms Robertson-Buchanan found her climbing and walking weren’t ­progressing.

A visit to the vet and X-rays revealed septic arthritis in her foot joints, and pressure sores. More antibiotics and specialist treatment followed.

Now the black cockatoo needs to practise flying and landing, before she can eventually be released back into the wild.

“I have a long backyard so a larger aviary can fit in, but it needs to be custom built, and made rat-proof,” Ms Robertson-Buchanan said.

Ms Robertson-Buchanan also exhibits her photographs, which can be seen at the Platform 72 gallery, at 28 Broadway, in Chippendale.

X-ray of Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoo "Opal", rescued from Marrickville Park. It has medical issues and is being taught how to fly by WIRES carer and bird photographer Angela Robertson-Buchanan

Anyone wishing to donate should visit gofundme.com/cs5fb3bw