| Sulphur-crested cockatoo Temporal range:Pleistocene - Present[1] | |
|---|---|
 | |
| C. g. galerita inTasmania,Australia | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Psittaciformes |
| Family: | Cacatuidae |
| Genus: | Cacatua |
| Subgenus: | Cacatua |
| Species: | C. galerita |
| Binomial name | |
| Cacatua galerita (Latham, 1790) | |
 | |
| Sulphur-crested cockatoo range (in red), introduced range (in violet) | |
Thesulphur-crested cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) is a relatively large whitecockatoo found in wooded habitats inAustralia,New Guinea, and some of the islands ofIndonesia. They can be locally very numerous, leading to them sometimes being consideredpests. A highly intelligent bird,[4] they are well known inaviculture, although they can be demanding pets.
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In Australia, sulphur-crested cockatoos can be found widely in the north and east, ranging from theKimberley to as far south asTasmania, but avoiding arid inland areas with few trees. They are numerous insuburban habitats in cities such asAdelaide,Melbourne,Canberra,Sydney,Brisbane andPerth. Except for highland areas, they occur throughout most ofNew Guinea and on nearby smaller islands such asWaigeo,Misool andAru, and various islands in theCenderawasih Bay andMilne Bay.
There are four recognised subspecies:
| Image | Scientific name | Common Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
%2c_Gembira_Loka_Zoo%2c_Yogyakarta%2c_2015-03-15_04.jpg) | C. g. triton (Temminck, 1849) | Triton cockatoo | Found inNew Guinea and the surrounding islands |
 | C. g. eleonora (Finsch, 1867) | Eleonora cockatoo | Restricted to theAru Islands in the Maluku province of eastern Indonesia |
 | C. g. fitzroyi (Mathews, 1912) | Mathews cockatoo | Northern Australia from West Australia to theGulf of Carpentaria |
 | C. g. galerita (Latham 1790) | Greater sulphur-crested cockatoo | Found fromCape York to Tasmania.[5] |
A 2024 genetic study found that the Triton cockatoo is genetically distinct from the two Australian forms of sulphur-crested cockatoo and should therefore be considered a separate species,Cacatua triton.[6]
Within Australia, sulphur-crested cockatoos of the nominate race have also beenintroduced toPerth, which is far outside the natural range. Outside Australia, they have been introduced toSingapore, where their numbers have been estimated to be between 500 and 2000. They have also been introduced toPalau andNew Zealand. In New Zealand, the introduced populations may number less than 1000. This species has also been recorded as established in Hawaii and from various islands inWallacea (e.g.Kai Islands andAmbon), but it is unclear if it has managed to become established there.[2]
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Sulphur-crested cockatoos are 44–55 cm (17.5–21.5 in) long,[7] with the Australian subspecies larger than subspecies from New Guinea and nearby islands. Theplumage is overall white, while the underwing and -tail are tinged yellow. The expressivecrest is yellow. The bill is black, the legs are grey, and the eye-ring is whitish. Males typically have almost black eyes, whereas the females have a more red or brown eye, but this requires optimum viewing conditions to be seen. The differences between the subspecies are subtle.C. g. fitzroyi is similar to the nominate race but lacks the yellow on the ear tufts and has slightly blueish skin around the eye.C. g. eleonora is similar toC. g. fitzroyi but is smaller and has broader feathers in the crest, andC. g. triton is similar toC. g. eleonora except it has a smaller bill.[5][8][9]
It is similar in appearance to the three species ofcorellas found in Australia. However, corellas are smaller, lack the prominent yellow crest and have pale bills. In captivity, the sulphur-crested cockatoo is easily confused with the smalleryellow-crested cockatoo or theblue-eyed cockatoo with a differently shaped crest and a darker blue eye-ring.
Sulphur-crested cockatoos' distinctive raucous calls can be very loud, which is a result of an adaptation in order to travel through the forest environments in which they live, including tropical and subtropical rainforests. These birds are naturally curious, as well as very intelligent. They have adapted very well to European settlement in Australia and live in many urban areas.
Being intelligent, inSydney, Australia, they have learned how to open garbage bins as a source of food.[10] The behavior spreads among the birds by imitation.[11] In captivity some will spontaneously dance to music with a variety of unique moves.[12]
These birds are very long-lived, and can live upwards of 70 years in captivity,[13][14] although they only live to about 20–40 years in the wild. They have been known to engage ingeophagy, the process of eating clay to detoxify their food. These birds produce a very finepowder to waterproof themselves instead of oil as many other birds do.
The sulphur-crested cockatoo is a seasonal breeder in Australia; little is known about its breeding behaviour in New Guinea. In southern Australia, the breeding season is from August to January, whereas in northern Australia the season is from May to September.[5] The nest is a bed of wood chips in a hollow in a tree. Like many other parrots it competes with others of its species and with other species for nesting sites.[15] Two to three eggs are laid andincubation lasts between 25–27 days. Both parents incubate the eggs and raise the nestlings. The nestling period is between 9 and 12 weeks, and the young fledglings remain with their parents for a number of months after fledging.[5]
Sulphur-crested cockatoos have a range of visually observable expressions. A 2009 study involving anEleonora cockatoo (the subspeciesCacatua galerita eleonora) namedSnowball found that sulphur-crested cockatoos are capable of synchronizing movements to a musical beat.[16] Sulphur-crested cockatoos use facial expressions (with their feathers) to indicate positive emotions.[17]
Species that feed on the ground are very vulnerable to predator attack. The cockatoo has evolved a behavioural adaptation to protect against this: whenever there is a flock on the ground, there is at least one high up in a tree (usually a dead tree), keeping guard. This is so well known that it has even entered Australian slang: a person keeping guard for sudden police raids on illegal gambling gatherings is referred to as acockatoo orcocky for short.[18]
In some parts of Australia, sulphur-crested cockatoos can be very numerous, and may cause damage tocereal andfruit crops and newly planted tree seedlings, as well as soft timber on houses and outdoor furniture.[19] Consequently, they are sometimes shot orpoisoned aspests. A government permit is required for any culling, because the birds are a protected species under the Australian Commonwealth Law.
Many have assumed that thehuman feeding of sulphur-crested cockatoos has caused many issues for the birds, including pest behaviour and disease in many localities. Numerous places around Australia like theSurf Coast inVictoria[20] and theBlue Mountains inNew South Wales[21][22] have had residents complain and rules be constructed to forbid locals and visitors in towns and national parks from hand-feeding cockatoos.
Sulphur-crested cockatoos may no longer be imported into theUnited States as a result of theWild Bird Conservation Act (WBCA).[23] However, they have been bred in captivity, with Eleonora and Triton cockatoos the most common subspecies seen in aviculture in the USA and Europe.[24] They are socially demanding pets and have a natural desire to chew wood and other hard and organic materials. They are also loud, often unleashing loud squawks or piercing screeches. They may also make aggressive, unpredictable movements which can frighten people and animals unaware of the accompanying affection.
One cockatoo called Fred was still alive at 100 years of age in 2014.[25] Cocky Bennett ofTom Ugly's Point in Sydney was a celebrated sulphur-crested cockatoo who reached an age of 100 years or more. He had lost his feathers and was naked for much of his life, and died in the early years of the twentieth century. His body was stuffed and preserved after death.[26] Another 'cocky', born in 1921 and residing in Arncliffe with his owner Charlie Knighton, was 76 years old in the late 1990s.[13] Their longevity can cause a problem of being a beloved pet and bonding to an adult who then, as they age together, dies while the bird is in their prime but has lost their life partner. The deceased owner's children are often faced with the problem of how to rehome the bird.RSPCA in Canberra regularly form large flocks of these birds which are then rehabilitated to the wild as a family unit[citation needed].
Sulphur-crested cockatoos, along with many other parrots, are susceptible topsittacine beak and feather disease, a viral disease, which causes birds to lose their feathers and grow grotesquely shaped beaks. The disease occurs naturally in the wild,[27] and in captivity.[28]
