Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

The Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Cacatua galerita, is a large, strikingly white cockatoo adorned with a vivid yellow crest. They are a common sight in various wooded habitats across Australia, New Guinea, and parts of Indonesia. These birds are known for their intelligence and adaptability, particularly in urban environments.

Identification Tips

Adult Sulphur-crested Cockatoos measure between 44 to 55 cm in length, with the Australian subspecies being the larger of the group. Their plumage is predominantly white, with a distinctive yellow wash under the wings and tail. The crest, when raised, reveals a brilliant yellow coloration. They possess a black bill, grey legs, and a pale eye-ring. Males typically have darker eyes compared to the reddish-brown eyes of females, though this is best observed under optimal conditions. Subspecies vary slightly in size, bill shape, and crest feather breadth.

Habitat

These cockatoos favor wooded areas, including tropical and subtropical rainforests, as well as urban settings where they have become quite established.

Distribution

Widely distributed across northern and eastern Australia, they are also found throughout most of New Guinea and on neighboring islands. Introduced populations exist in places such as Singapore, Palau, New Zealand, and potentially Hawaii and Wallacea.

Behaviour

Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are known for their loud, raucous calls, an adaptation for communication through dense forests. They exhibit a high level of curiosity and intelligence, with some learning to forage from unsecured garbage bins. In captivity, they have been observed dancing to music. These birds can live up to 70 years in captivity, but typically live 20-40 years in the wild. They engage in geophagy to detoxify their food and produce a fine powder for waterproofing rather than oil.

Song & Calls

Their calls are loud and distinctive, serving as a means of communication within their forest habitats.

Breeding

Breeding seasons vary by region, with nests made in tree hollows lined with wood chips. They lay two to three eggs, with both parents sharing incubation duties. The nestling period lasts between 9 and 12 weeks, with fledglings staying with their parents for several months post-fledging.

Similar Species

They can be confused with corellas, which are smaller and lack the yellow crest, or with the yellow-crested and blue-eyed cockatoos in captivity, which have different crest shapes and eye-ring colors.

Diet and Feeding

Sulphur-crested Cockatoos feed on a variety of seeds, nuts, roots, berries, and sometimes insects. They have adapted to forage in urban areas and are known to consume human food waste.

Conservation status

The IUCN lists the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo as Least Concern, though they are protected under Australian law, and culling requires a government permit due to their potential pest status in some areas.