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Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

(Cacatua galerita)
Alternative name: "White Cockatoo"
Aboriginal names: "kaneky", "mooyi"
Size: 45-50 cm

Habitat
(for details refer to a field guide)

Sulphur-Crested Cockatoos populate the tropical north of Australia, from the Kimberleys to Cape York, and the eastern part of the continent spanning about the north-eastern half of QLD and the eastern half of NSW. They are found only in the south-eastern corner of SA, but all over Tasmania. After significant inland rainfall they may disperse further into the semi-arid centre of the continent, but they do not reach (e.g.) the Paroo River, a major northern tributary to the Darling River. The only population in WA, in addition to the one in the tropical north, was introduced to Perth.

Originally found in various types of woodland, from dense forest to more open habitats, often near water courses lined with River Red Gums, Sulphur-Crested Cockatoos are extending their range by adapting to human activity. Now they are often found around farms and rural roads, where they feed on various types of seeds, including commercial crops.

Sightings

Narrabri, NSW, lies in an area where the habitats of Sulphur-crested Cockatoo and Little Corella overlap. Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, which are in principle at home in eastern Australia, have extended their range westwards over the past few decades. Prior to the advent of sorghum farming, in the 1950ies to 1960ies, they did not live in the Narrabri area.

These days Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are found in large numbers in north-western NSW, where we see them on an almost daily basis. Often found in large flocks around reliable food sources, such as grain storage facilities or olive groves, often in conjunction with Little Corellas.

Also sighted on a trip to the east of the Great Dividing Range, in the area from Armidale to Dorrigo, northern NSW.

On a trip to outback NSW and South Australia we found only a few birds.

Photos

Not the photos you want? Or are you after even better quality? Have a look here.

Near-frontal view of a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

Lateral view of a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

Dorsal view of a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo picking up food from a lawn

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo displaying its crest

Here somebody checking out the local water hole, a mini-pond in our garden

This bird is drinking from our little garden pond

Here one taking a good mouthful

Here one in flight, just after takeoff from a treetop

This one is doing its usual thing, screaming its head off; in this photo one can clearly see the sulphur-yellow underwings

And here one coming straight at you...

Breeding information

Breeding season: Jun - Dec Eggs: 2 Incubation period: 28 - 30 days Fledging age: 56 days

The breeding season depends significantly on geographical latitude. Cockatoos are sociable creatures which often nest in loose colonies, also in conjunction with other species.

Nest

Type: Tree hollow Material: Woodchips Height above ground: 5 - 30 m

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo climbing out of its nesting hollow

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo sitting in the opening of its nesting hollow in a dead River Redgum

Eggs

Size: 48 x 34 mm Colour: White Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal Mobility: Dispersive/sedentary Elementary unit: Flock

In (semi-)arid environments such as inland NSW, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos stay close to waterways, even if they have dried up. When flying across arid land, it is normally on their way from one waterway to the next, where food is more abundant.

Often seen by us together with Little Corellas and/or Galahs in flocks of up to hundreds, especially where there is plenty of food (e.g. near olive groves or grain storage facilities).

They are quite destructive, often nibbling on or chopping off the young shoots of trees just for fun. They are also playful, often performing acrobatics.

What can I destroy now? Maybe this 18-mm high-flow hose?

Nope, this is not an albino fruit bat... note how the strength of just one toe is sufficient to hold the bird's weight

... and here is another one playing silly buggers

Some TLC the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo way...

PBFD - psittacine beak and feather disease

A significant number of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos have a disease that leads to two observable effects - loss of feathers and beak deformations. Below a few examples.

This is "Baldy", not a Sulphur-crested, but a Bald-headed Cockatoo who visited our garden in October 2008

And the winner in the "Dirtiest Cocky of all times" competition is...

... but there is strong competition

This bird is similarly dirty compared to the one shown above, but note also the deformity of its bill, where part of the upper mandible is missing, while the lower mandible is much longer than normal

Food

Like basically all cockatoos, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are seed-eaters, where seeds include those in cones and nut-like fruit, for example those of Acacia salicina and White Cedar trees. They also take grass seeds (and commercial crops). There is a separate page about a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo feeding on Acacia salicina seeds.

Sulphur-crested Cockatoos often feed in large numbers, regularly also together with other species, such as e.g. Little Corellas; they feed on our paddock only in wintertime, always about an hour before sunset, when starting their way out of a neighbouring olive grove back to their roosts

Here a closer look on another day

This bird is chewing on an oleander seed pod; since nobody has keeled over yet in our garden, it appears that Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are not affected by the toxins

Here a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo on our lawn in wintertime; for once it is not causing any damage, but in fact doing us a favour by feeding on clover