The word cockatoo dates from the 17th century and is a derivation from the Malay name for these birds, “kakak tua” (meaning “older sibling”) or from the call of the white cockatoo itself. Of these, two species-the red-vented cockatoo and the yellow-crested cockatoo-are considered to be critically endangered. The cockatiel is the easiest cockatoo species to maintain and is by far the most frequently kept in captivity.Īccording to the IUCN and BirdLife International, seven species of cockatoo are considered to be vulnerable or worse and one is considered to be near threatened. Illegal trade in wild-caught birds contributes to the decline of some cockatoo species in the wild. Cockatoos reach sexual maturity when they’re about 3 to 4 years old.īecause they are showy, inventive, and affectionate, many are caged as pets. Young cockatoos often stay with the flock they were born into. About a month after fledging, the young cockatoos are weaned and independent. Mom and Dad will continue to feed and supervise them as they build strength in their wings and learn to forage for food. The cockatoo chicks try out their flying abilities when they are about 4 months old. The female lays one or six eggs, and both parents take turns sitting on them, turning them and keeping them moist during the incubation period. They make their nest in a large tree hole, 16 to 100 feet (5 to 30 meters) above ground. After the female accepts the male’s advances, the pair will preen each other.Īfter breeding, the cockatoo pair leaves their group to find a good nesting spot. He opens his wings, spreads his tail, ruffles his feathers and raises his crest while bobbing, bouncing and dancing in front of the female. The male cockatoo puts on an elaborate show to attract a female. They mate once a year, between December and March. Flocks can number in the dozens to thousands of birds: one record from the Kimberley noted a flock of 32,000 little corellas.Ĭockatoos are monogamous, mating for life. Noisy flocks sometimes include two or three different cockatoo species. They generally have long broad wings used in rapid flight, with speeds up to 70 km/h (43 mph) being recorded for galahs.Īll species are generally highly social and roost, forage and travel in flocks. This, along with the use of their beak, gives them the ability to use their feet much like we use our hands and helps make them terrific climbers! Having the ability to climb is a necessity for birds that live and nest in thick forests. Like all parrots, cockatoos are zygodactyl (having two toes pointing forward and two backward). They serve a number of functions, including allowing individuals to recognize one another, alerting others of predators, indicating individual moods, maintaining the cohesion of a flock and as warnings when defending nests. The vocalisations of cockatoos are loud and harsh. They are known to raid farmers’ crops, destroy sprouts, mature crops and bagged grain.Ĭockatoos are diurnal and require daylight to find their food. Some cockatoos even eat insects and their larva. The bill is complemented by a large muscular tongue which helps manipulate seeds inside the bill so that they can be de-husked before eating.Ĭockatoos, depending on the species will eat an assortment of seeds, fruits, nuts, berries, blossoms, roots, and vegetation such as leaf buds. Their plumage is generally less colorful than that of other parrots, being mainly white, grey or black and often with colored features in the crest, cheeks or tail.Ĭockatoos range in size: the tallest is Red-tailed black cockatoo up to 65 centimeters (26 inches) the shortest are Solomons cockatoo, Philippine cockatoo and cockatiel at 30 centimeters (12 inches) the heaviest is Palm cockatoo at 1 kilogram (35 ounces) the lightest are Tanimbar corella and Philippine cockatoo at 300 grams (10.5 ounces).Ĭockatoos have a large bill, which is kept sharp by rasping the two mandibles together when resting. The oldest cockatoo in captivity was a Major Mitchell’s cockatoo named “Cookie”, residing at Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, which lived to be 83 years old (1933–2016).Ĭockatoos are recognisable by the showy crests and curved bills. The lifespan is up to 60 years or longer, depending upon the species.
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