Escaped Taronga black cockatoo found

A rare cockatoo has been found safe and well after she flew the coop from Taronga Zoo's live bird show.

Diyara the red-tailed black cockatoo, had been at large since Tuesday after a wild peregrine falcon spooked her mid-show, sending her flying past the main entrance.

She was found at Bayview, about 20km north of the Sydney zoo, on Thursday afternoon when a woman noticed the brightly coloured bird in her backyard.

"The community has been sensational. We always get lots of support in these cases," said a Taronga Zoo spokesman.

This isn't the first time the zoo's black cockatoos have played truant, with five escaping in similar circumstances in 2012.

All five eventually returned after an eagle sent them scattering.