Scientific Classification

Common Name

medium sulphur-crested cockatoo

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Aves

Order

Psittaciformes

Family

Cacatuidae

Genus Species

Cacatua (referring to the bird's call) galerita eleonora (crest)

Fast Facts

Description

This cockatoo is a large white parrot with a bright yellow crest, yellow under the wings and tail, and a hooked beak.

Size

Approximately 44 cm (17.5 in.)

Weight

Approximately 404 to 602 g (14.4 to 21.07 oz.)

Diet

Includes seeds, nuts, fruits, berries, and some insects

Incubation

Approximately 30 days

Clutch Size

2 to 6 eggs

Sexual Maturity

2 to 3 years

Life Span

65 or more years

Range

Once found throughout Indonesia and the Sunda Islands, the sulphur crested cockatoo has been severely depleted and is now only found in small numbers on some islands and extinct on others. Sumba of the Lesser Sunda Islands has the largest population.

Habitat

Found in forests, scrubs and grasslands

Population

This cockatoo's population is declining and is currently estimated to be between 2,500 to 9,999 individuals.

Status 

IUCN: Critically Endangered
CITES: Appendix II
USFWS: Not listed

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 are very gregarious and quickly learn to mimic. These birds also have a very shrill cry.

Ecology and Conservation

Cockatoos in general are very gregarious and quickly learn to mimic. These birds also have a very shrill cry.

They aid in seed dispersal through their eating of fruit.

This species is very popular in the pet trade.

The U.S. Wild Bird Act forbids the commercial import of any bird listed by CITES as threatened or endangered (Appendix II and I) 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.

Simpson, D.P. Cassell's Latin Dictionary. New York. Macmillan Publishing Company. 1959.

avesint.com/ducorpsF.html

BirdLife International 2018. Cacatua sulphurea. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T22684777A131874695. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22684777A131874695.en. Downloaded on 03 March 2020.

Photo Credit: Cacatua_galerita_eleonora_-_pet. jpg. Source: Wikimedia Commons. Image by: lxectrona (talk). Year Created: 20 March 2007. Website: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lesser-sulphur_crested_cockatoo_31l07.JPG.