![]() They are socially demanding pets and have a natural desire to chew wood and other hard and organic materials. However, they have been bred in captivity. Sulphur-crested cockatoos may no longer be imported into the United States as a result of the Wild Bird Conservation Act (WBCA). Government permit is required, as they are a protected species under the Australian Commonwealth Law. Consequently, they are sometimes shot or poisoned as pests. In some parts of Australia, the sulphur-crested cockatoo can be very numerous, and may cause damage to cereal and fruit crops, newly planted tree seedling, and soft timber on houses and outdoor furniture. Numerous cockatoos causing damage to a shopping centre façade This is so well known that it has even entered Australian slang: a person keeping guard for sudden police raids on illegal gambling gatherings is referred to as a cockatoo or cocky for short. ![]() The cockatoo has evolved a behavioural adaptation to protect against this: whenever there is a flock on the ground, there is at least one high up in a tree (usually a dead tree), keeping guard. Species that feed on the ground are very vulnerable to predator attack. The nestling period is between 9 and 12 weeks, and the young fledglings remain with their parents for a number of months after fledging.Ī 2009 study involving an Eleonora cockatoo (the subspecies Cacatua galerita eleonora) named Snowball found that sulphur-crested cockatoos are capable of synchronising movements to a musical beat. Both parents incubate the eggs and raise the nestlings. Two to three eggs are laid and incubation lasts between 25–27 days. Like many other parrots it competes with others of its species and with other species for nesting sites. ![]() The nest is a bed of wood chips in a hollow in a tree. In southern Australia the breeding season is from August to January, whereas in northern Australia the season is from May to September. The sulphur-crested cockatoo is a seasonal breeder in Australia little is known about its breeding behaviour in New Guinea. These birds produce a very fine powder to waterproof themselves instead of oil as many other birds do. They have been known to engage in geophagy, the process of eating clay to detoxify their food. These birds are very long-lived, and can live upwards of 70 years in captivity, although they only live to about 20–40 years in the wild. They have adapted very well to European settlement in Australia and live in many urban areas. These birds are naturally curious, as well as very intelligent. Their distinctive raucous call can be very loud it is adapted to travel through the forest environments in which they live, including tropical and subtropical rainforests. Kai Islands and Ambon), but it is unclear if it has managed to become established there. This species has also been recorded as established in Hawaii and from various islands in Wallacea (e.g. In New Zealand, the introduced populations may number less than 1000. They have also been introduced to Palau and New Zealand. Outside Australia, they have been introduced to Singapore, where their numbers have been estimated to be between 5. Within Australia, sulphur-crested cockatoos of the nominate race have also been introduced to Perth, which is far outside the natural range. ![]() Northern Australia from West Australia to the Gulf of Carpentaria Restricted to the Aru Islands in the Maluku province of eastern Indonesia There are four recognised subspecies Imageįound in New Guinea and the surrounding islands Except for highland areas, they occur throughout most of New Guinea and on nearby smaller islands such as Waigeo, Misool and Aru, and various islands in the Cenderawasih Bay and Milne Bay. They are numerous in suburban habitats in cities such as Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane. In Australia, sulphur-crested cockatoos can be found widely in the north and east, ranging from the Kimberley to as far south as Tasmania, but avoiding arid inland areas with few trees.
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