Scientific Classification

Common Name

Goffin's cockatoo, Tanimbar corella

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Aves

Order

Psittaciformes

Family

Cacatuidae

Genus Species

Cacatua (referring to the bird's call) goffiniana

Fast Facts

Description

The Goffin's cockatoo is a large white parrot with white skin around eye and a grayish-white beak. The lores and base of the head feathers are salmon pink. The iris of the male's eye is black and the female's iris is brown.

Size

Approximately 39 cm (12.5 in.)

Weight

Approximately 0.45 kg (1 lbs.)

Diet

Feeds on seeds, nuts, fruits, berries, and some insects

Incubation

Approximately 30 days

Clutch Size

2 to 6 eggs

Sexual Maturity

Approximately 2 to 3 years

Life Span

65 or more years

Range

The Goffin’s Cockatoo is restricted to the Banda Sea Islands of Yamdena and Larat (Tanimbar) in Indonesia.

Habitat

This species inhabits forest and agricultural land, feeding on crop plants and roosting in the forest.

Population

The global population has been estimated to number from 100,000 to 499,999. The population appears to be declining but is not severely fragmented.

Status 

IUCN: Near Threatened
CITES: Appendix I
USFWS: Lower Risk/Near Threatened

Fun Facts

Both parents take part in incubating the eggs.

Cockatoos can mimic the sounds of other animals, including people.

Cockatoos can hold their food in one foot and break pieces off of it with the other foot.

Cockatoos live in small loose flocks.

They birds are very gregarious and emit a shrill cry.

Ecology and Conservation

Cockatoos are a food source for many predators.

Their feeding habits are very destructive to crops and are considered a nuisance by farmers. In fact, licensed culling is permitted in certain states.

Cockatoos aid in seed dispersal by eating fruit and dropping the seeds.

The Goffin's Cockatoo is very popular in the pet trade and is considered to be an exceptionally easy bird to tame. They are generally very affectionate towards humans and have lively personalities.

Deforestation and habitat destruction is also a major threat to these birds.

The U.S. Wild Bird Act forbids the commercial import of any bird listed by CITES which includes most parrots.

Bibliography

Austin, G. Birds of the World. New York. Golden Press, Inc., 1961.

Decoten, A.E. Handbook of Cockatoos. Neptune City, NJ. T.F.H. Pub., 1981.

Diefenbach, K. The World of Cockatoos. Neptune City. NJ. T.F.H. Publications, 1985.

Forshaw, J.M. Parrots of the World. Neptune City, NJ. T.F.H. Publications, 1977.

Gotch, A.F. Birds - Their Latin Names Explained. UK. Blandford Books Ltd., 1981.

birdlife.org/datazone/search/species_search.html

BirdLife International. 2018. Cacatua goffiniana. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T22684800A131915554. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22684800A131915554.en. Downloaded on 04 March 2019.

Photo Credit: Goffin’s Cockatoo on a perch. Source: Wikimedia Commons. Image by: Bizie. Year Created: 26 February 2006. Website: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_Goffin%27s_Cockatoo_on_a_perch.jpg. License: CC by SA 3.0 unported.