Birdsong field guide
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Cacatua galerita
The Sulphur-crested Cockatoo is a large, conspicuous white parrot known for its expressive yellow crest and exceptional cognitive abilities. It is a highly gregarious species that often forms large, noisy flocks in both wilderness and urban environments.
What it sounds like
An incredibly loud, harsh, and raucous screech, occasionally interspersed with guttural croaks and expert mimicry of other sounds.
Field notes
- They possess 'powder down' feathers, which disintegrate into a fine calcium carbonate powder used to waterproof and clean their plumage.
- Individuals can live exceptionally long lives, often exceeding 70 years in captivity and 40 years in the wild.
- They exhibit advanced social learning, notably seen in suburban populations teaching each other complex multi-step techniques to open garbage bins.
- The species utilizes a sentinel system where specific flock members remain on high branches to watch for predators while the rest of the group feeds on the ground.
- Their zygodactyl feet, with two toes facing forward and two backward, allow for extreme dexterity and the ability to hold food while eating.
Habitat
Woodlands, rainforest edges, scrublands, and urban parks or gardens.
Range
Northern and Eastern Australia, New Guinea, and the Aru Islands; introduced to New Zealand and Indonesia.
Similar & commonly confused birds
Blue-eyed CockatooCacatua ophthalmicaCitron-crested CockatooCacatua citrinocristataLittle CorellaCacatua sanguineaLong-billed CorellaCacatua tenuirostrisPhilippine CockatooCacatua haematuropygiaPink CockatooCacatua leadbeateriSalmon-crested CockatooCacatua moluccensisSolomons CorellaCacatua ducorpsii
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