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GalahAlternative names: "Rose-breasted Cockatoo", "Roseate Cockatoo", "Willie-willock", "Willock", "Goulie" Aboriginal names: "galah", "gilaa" [gamilaraay, yuwaalaraay], "kalemji", "gillumba" Size: 35-38 cm Weight: 270-350 g |
SUBSECTIONS:
Classification
Distribution
Sightings
Photos
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Food
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Taxonomy, classification |
See Galah
at Wikipedia 
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
(for details refer to a field guide) |
Click here to display information on habitat,
range and finding this species
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Sightings |
Galahs are found in large numbers all over the continent, including the area of Narrabri NSW, where race "albiceps" is found. They normally appear in flocks of a few up to hundreds at a time to feed on seeds, primarily on the ground.
Click here to display more sighting
information
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Photos |
Race "albiceps"
Not the photos you want? Or are you after even better quality? Have a
look here 
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Close-up portrait of a Galah, showing the warty skin around its eyes
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, April 2012]
Frontal view of a Galah
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2011]
Different frontal view of a Galah
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, April 2012]
In this photo the Galah is picking at one of its feet, thereby
showing very clearly how its toes are aligned, with two toes
pointing forward and two backward; Galahs are classified as
"non-passerine" birds
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, April 2012]
Frontal view of a Galah on the ground
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2011]
Galah with its head turned
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2011]
Lateral view of an adult Galah
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, December 2010]
Lateral view of an adult Galah feeding on grass seeds
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2012]
Dorsal view of a Galah
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2011]
Galah displaying its crest
[Near Narrabri, NSW, 2006]
Sleeping Galah
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, April 2012]
Pair of Galahs in flight
[Paroo Darling NP,
NSW, March 2008]
Three Galahs in flight
[Near Narrabri, NSW, April 2011]
Flock of Galahs in flight
[Near Narrabri, NSW, 2006]
Direct comparison of a mature Galah, right, and a fledgling, left;
note the different colour patterns - the young bird has a lot more
grey in its plumage; the eyerings are also different
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, December 2010]
Two fledgling Galahs just out of their nest
[Near Narrabri, NSW, November 2006]
Another fledgling Galah
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2007]
Portrait of the same fledgling Galah as above
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2007]
Again the same fledgling Galah, now clambering to a vantage
point from which to launch itself into the wind and
fly away ;
note the short tail typical of all fledgling birds
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2007]
This young Galah was just learning how to feed itself; most
of the time it still spent in a tree screeching to be fed
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2009]
Ruffled young Galah after a hefty shower; the local
animal rescue team helped it until it had dried up,
eaten and flown away again
[Near Narrabri, NSW, 2006]
Fledgling Galah being fed by one of its parents; the
young begging for food sound almost like a donkey's call.
To make the parent regurgitate food, the young thrust
their bill forward repeatedly in noisy, jerky motions
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2008]
Here a young Galah being groomed by one of its parents
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, December 2011]
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Breeding information |
| Breeding season: Aug - Nov | Eggs: 3 - 6 | Incubation period: 24 days | Fledging age: 42 - 49 days |
The breeding season depends significantly on geographical latitude. In the northern tropics Galahs breed Feb - May; given the right conditions, Galah can breed any time of the year. Cockatoos are sociable creatures which often nest in loose colonies, also in conjunction with other species.
In 2007 the first young Galahs fledged around mid-November, much later than the young of other species, such as e.g. Magpie-larks or Australian Magpies, both of which had their young out of the nests by mid-October, while the first batch of Welcome Swallows was already gone by mid-September.
| Nest building: Male? | Incubation: Male & female | Dependent care: Male & female |
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "malunna" = Nest [Aboriginal] |
| Type: Tree hollow | Material: Leafy twigs, leaves | Height above ground: 2 - 20 m |
Galahs, like most other parrots and cockatoos, nest in holes of hollow tree trunks.
Galah guarding its nesting hollow
[Maules Creek, NSW, September 2011]
Here another Galah sitting on the "doorstep"
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2011]
This designer Galah has a home with a "Map of Australia" entrance!
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, September 2012]
Fledgling Galah peeking out of its nest hole
[Near Narrabri, NSW, 2006]
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "nooluk" "pateena" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal] |
| Size: 36 x 26 mm | Colour: White | Shape: Rounded |
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Behaviour |
| Social behaviour: Communal | Mobility: Sedentary/dispersive | Elementary unit: Flock |
Near sunrise and sunset Galahs form organised flocks careening through the sky, at low altitude, with enormous speed and agility.
Like all seedeaters Galahs spend a lot of time on the ground, foraging in large flocks of up to hundreds, see photo below.
Where there is good tucker, there will be lots of Galahs
[Near Narrabri, NSW, 2006]
Often seen by us together with Little Corellas and/or Sulphur-crested Cockatoos in flocks of up to hundreds, especially where there is plenty of food (e.g. near olive groves or grain storage facilities).
Also sometimes seen by us to hassle raptors. They don't swoop on the larger birds, but annoy them by accompanying them in a flock, attracting everybody's attention in the process (see photo below).
Flock of Galahs pestering a Whistling Kite
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, August 2010]
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Food, Diet |
| Adults: Seeds | Dependents: Regurgitated seeds | Water intake: Daily |
Like basically all cockatoos, Galahs are seed-eaters, where seeds include those in cones and nut-like fruit, for example those of Acacea salicina (see below). We have also observed Galahs nibbling on the buds of eucalypt flowers.
Just like Little
Corellas,
Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and Red-winged Parrots, Galahs eat
the fruit of Acacia salicina
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2007]
Lateral view of a Galah feeding on a lawn
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2011]
Dorsal view of a Galah feeding on a lawn
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2011]
Here a Galah feeding on grass seeds
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2011]
This photo shows that Galahs, although mainly seed-eaters,
do also feed on foliage if there are no seeds to be found in
wintertime
[Eulah Creek, NSW, July 2010]
In fact, a small group of Galahs was observed by us in wintertime
to rip into Buffalo grass
[Eulah Creek, NSW, July 2012]
