Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Cacatua galerita
They are almost exclusively left-footed, using their left claw to hold food while they eat.
- Scientific name
- Cacatua galerita
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Psittaciformes › Cacatuidae › Cacatua
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- increasing
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Open woodlands, tropical and subtropical rainforests, and urban parks.
- Diet
- Seeds, nuts, fruits, roots, and occasionally wood-boring insect larvae.
- Range
- Australia, New Guinea, Indonesia, New Zealand
- Size
- 44-55 cm in length with a wingspan up to 100 cm.
- Lifespan
- 20-40 years in the wild, up to 70 years in captivity.
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat loss of old-growth nesting hollows and illegal wildlife trade.
- Safe to approach?
- Generally harmless but can be defensive near nests. Do not attempt to handle, as the powerful beak can cause serious injury. Do not feed human food. If bitten, wash the wound and seek medical help.
The sulphur-crested cockatoo ( Cacatua galerita ) is a relatively large white cockatoo found in wooded habitats in Australia and New Guinea and some of the islands of Indonesia. They can be locally very numerous, leading to them sometimes being considered pests. A highly intelligent bird, they are well known in aviculture, although they can be demanding pets.
Photo: Hyme852052, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
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