Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

(Cacatua galerita)

Live: New Guinea, Aru Islands, Northern and Eastern Australia, Indonesia, Palau Islands. Introduced into New Zealand in two areas of west coast of North Island. In New Guinea lives in both lowlands and hill country and although protected is hunted for the pet trade and for its feathers. Small population in the Palau Islands. Travel between offshore islands and mainland.

Habitat: In Australia they are plentiful in open woodland forests and farmland. May visit towns and cities over winter. 

Diet: In the wild: Seeds, fruit, berries, nuts, flowers, leaf buds, roots, insects and their larvae. Damage cereal crops by digging up the seeds and eating ripening grain. Eat the seeds of many weeds.
Zoo diet: Seed mix, fruit vegetables and browse.
Enclosure cleaned twice weekly.

Breeding: Season variable. Southern Australia: August - January, Northern Australia: May -September.
Nest: In a hollow tree, near water and high off the ground.
Eggs: 2-3, incubated by both parents for 30 days.

Status: Common

General: Size to 50cm.
Male: General plumage iswhite. Yellow, forward curving crest. Yellow wings and tail feathers. Dark grey beak. Dark brown eyes. Dark grey legs.
Female: Same as male except red-brown eyes.
Juveniles: Similar to adults; the very young have grey on crown, back and wings.

Call: Abrupt screeches when alarmed. Usual call a harsh screech. Shrill whistle or squawk when feeding.

Habits: Form large flocks sometimes over a hundred birds in eastern Australia. Use a sentinel bird to watch for danger when feeding. During the breeding season form small family groups or pairs. Each flock has its own roosting tree to which they return to at dusk.
Flight is rapid with shallow wing-beats and gliding. Fly high and approach roost trees by gliding in wide circles.

Chicks: Young birds leave the nest 10 weeks after hatching.