Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Western Corella (Cacatua pastinator)
Western Corella

Western Corella

Cacatua pastinator

The Western Corella, also known as the Western Long-billed Corella, is a white cockatoo endemic to the south-western regions of Australia. This medium-sized, stocky bird boasts an erect white crest, a pale yellow underwing, and a long pointed bill. Its eye skin is a blue-grey, and it features a crimson pink coloring between the eyes and beak, with a small pink patch on the throat. The upper mandible is notably long-tipped, and the legs are dark grey. The plumage of the underparts may appear stained or dirty due to their ground-feeding habits.

Identification Tips

Sexual dimorphism is not present in this species, making it challenging to distinguish between males and females. However, males are generally larger with a deeper alarm call. The lack of "green" dyck-texture in the plumage is a distinguishing feature of cockatoos, including the Western Corella.

Habitat

The Western Corella inhabits undulating farmlands with significant clearance for wheat and sheep farming, with remaining native vegetation confined to isolated patches and road reserves. Critical habitats include large eucalypts and other trees, alive or dead, in forested areas or as lone paddock trees and roadside vegetation.

Distribution

Two geographically isolated populations exist in south-west Western Australia. The northern wheatbelt population consists of 5,000–10,000 birds, while the far south-west population is approximately 1,000 strong. The species was once common but has experienced a decline since colonization.

Behaviour

Western Corellas are social and can form large flocks of up to 700 individuals. They are known for their raucous behavior and can be seen moving between feeding locations. Breeding pairs are stable, though some divorce is observed. The birds show strong natal area fidelity, with some returning after years of absence.

Song & Calls

The call of the Western Corella is a wavering falsetto with eerie qualities, accompanied by various shrieks and squeaky conversational tones.

Breeding

Nesting occurs in hollows of large eucalypt trees, with a preference for trees with open canopies and dead limbs. The breeding season starts in August, with clutch sizes ranging from one to four eggs. Both parents share incubation duties, and the breeding success rate is quite high.

Diet and Feeding

The Western Corella's diet includes wheat grain, native seeds, bulbs, corms, and insect larvae. They have adapted well to agricultural landscapes, exploiting food supplies provided by human activities.

Conservation status

The Western Corella is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. However, Muir's Corella, a subspecies, is considered Vulnerable with a population of around 3,000 individuals. Threats include illegal shooting, poisoning, habitat loss, and competition for nesting hollows. Conservation efforts are underway to address these threats and protect the species.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Western Corellas on Birda

Photos

More Cockatoos

Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Bryan C
Clean and easy to use
Really enjoying this app, it's clean and easy to use. I love the ease of being able to add those one-off birds without starting a whole checklist. I also like the social aspect, like the parts of my Facebook I like, without the ads and junk, just birds. Can't wait to see it become more populated.
David C
Very knowledgeable group
Nice friendly birding community. Very knowledgeable group with a willingness to help.
Dan R
Great app for bird fanatics
Great app for bird fanatics - very user friendly and a perfect place to share sightings.
Carl B
Helped me to identify more birds
Love this app and has helped me to identify more birds. The challenges and badges are great for keeping the motivation going to get out and keep birding.
BCHphotography_
Such a great app!
I didn’t think I could enjoy birding more but this app makes it so much better. Some great features and a really great way to share your sightings with your friends or fellow birders nearby or around the world! âĪïļ
Amylia S
Best app for any birding person!
I love this app!! I am so addicted to it when I saw it had 3 star review I was so sad! The app is awesome!! The best app for any birding person! âĪïļ
Abi.M
Awesome App
I really enjoy using this app! It is such a friendly community of bird-lovers who are happy to help if I need ID advice. It’s been great motivation to get outdoors and go birding more! 10/10 😍😍
Alice J
Awesome Birding Community
I absolutely love the community aspect of this app. The app is so user friendly and has fun interactive challenges to get you out birding. I’ve tried others but since I’ve started using Birda I’ve not gone back!
Jane N
A great app
Enjoying it immensely and finding it useful too. Recording the different birds and counting them is showing me how the present climate is affecting them all. I've trebled the numbers by planting native hedging. A great app.
Talli A
My favourite app
As a young birdwatcher who was always keen to be apart of a community but never seemed to find one, my problem was solved downloading this!!! Everyone is so friendly and just as excited to see birds as me 😁
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright ÂĐ 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.