Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo

(Cacatua galerita)

Appearance:

Overall colour white. Crest light-yellow, pale yellow cheek patches, and yellow underside of wings and tail. Eye surrounded by a ring of white skin. Dark grey legs and feet. Claws are very sharp!

Males have a dark black iris, females a reddish-brown iris. However, this doesn't become evident until the bird is fully matured. (Over 6 years old).

Distribution:

Also occurs in New Guinea and offshore islands, and Aru Islands. Introduced to New Zealand, Palau Islands and Goramlaut and Ceramlaut Islands, Indonesia. Population in Perth, Western Australia consists of introduced birds and escapees.

Habitat:

Extremely varied. Tropical and temperate rainforests; swamp woodlands; eucalyptus forests; mallee; tree-lined rivers; mangroves; grasslands; farmlands; city parks, gardens and golf courses.

Notes:

In Australia, this is a very common bird in it's range. During the breeding season, Sulphur-cresteds travel together in pairs or small family groups. At other times of the year, however, they tend to form into huge flocks, sometimes numbering several hundred birds. While these flocks are feeding on the ground various 'guards' remain perched on the highest trees surrounding the feed area. When danger appears, these 'guards' fly into the air screaming and screeching, warning the rest of the flock, which makes a spectacular and noisy display as the birds fly to safety. This is a particularly impressive sight when the flock numbers around 1,000 birds.

Sulphur-cresteds feed on seeds, nuts, berries, fruit, flowers, leaf buds, roots and insect larvae. In the farmlands of the Australian interior, they have become a pest species, causing enormous damage to cereal crops. Fortunately the practice of mass extermination that occurred in the past has died down due to the discovery of the birds not feeding on the actual crop itself in many instances, but on the weeds of the fields. Another recent practise is sowing a neighbouring field with weeds as a decoy from the crop. (It was found that if a flock of 'X' birds were destroyed, another of equal number would appear the next day to take it's place.)

In New Guinea, Sulphur-cresteds are becoming a rare species except in more remote areas. Hunting for their feathers and for the captive bird trade has decimated the population near the larger towns.