Cockatoos

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       Goffin's                  Moluccan            Rose Breasted          Sulpher Crested

Umbrella

A cockatoo is a parrot with 21 species mainly distribution, ranging from the Philippines and the eastern Indonesian islands to New Guinea, and Australia.

Cockatoos are recognisable by the showy crests and curved bills. Their plumage is generally less colourful than that of other parrots, being mainly white, grey or black and often with coloured features in the crest, cheeks or tail. On average they are larger than other parrots; however, the cockatiel is the smallest of the cockatoo species.

Umbrella Cockatoo

Umbrella Cockatoo

Cacatuaalba

Photographed at 

Skunk Ape Headquarters, 

Ochopee, Florida  Mar 2012

The Umbrella is an Indonesian parrot and the most familiar and abundant of all cockatoos in captivity. Also known as the White Cockatoo may raise their crests upon training, or when something catches their interest such as a new toy or person. The undersides of the wings and tail have a pale yellow or lemon color which flashes when they fly.

Cockatoo are capable of imitating basic human speech, they are not considered the most able speakers among parrots and have been known to live up to, and perhaps beyond, 80 years.

They are not to be confused with their much smaller relative the Goffin Cockatoo.

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Sulpher Crested Cockatoo

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

 (Cacatuagalerita)

Photographed at 

Reid Zoo, Tucson, Arizona  Mar 2010

The Sulphur-crested Cockatoo is a large white parrot. It has a dark grey-black bill, a distinctive sulphur-yellow crest and a yellow wash on the underside of the wings. Sexes are similar, although the female can be separated at close range by its red-brown eye (darker brown in the male). This is a noisy and conspicuous cockatoo, both at rest and in flight. Young Sulphur-crested Cockatoos resemble the adults.

One of Australia's most popular and iconic birds, the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, has been known to live up to eighty years of age in captivity

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Rose Breasted Cockatoo

Rose Breasted Cockatoo

Cacatua rose icapilla

Photographed at

Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Orlando, Florida    Mar 2011

The rose breasted cockatoo is native to Australia where it is known as the "Galah". With its rose-pink chest, under parts, neck and face contrasting against its gray wings and tail, the Rose-breasted Cockatoo is definitely a striking bird.

The rose breasted cockatoo is known to destroy crops and is considered to be a pest in many regions.

It is prone to fatty tumours and therefore needs to be on a well-balanced diet that is not too high in fat. The rose breasted cockatoo eats vegetables and grains.

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Moluccan Cockatoo

Cockatoo (Moluccan)

Cacatua moluccensis

Photographed at 

Ardastra Zoo, Nassau Bahama  Dec 2012

The Moluccan cockatoo is one of the most striking members of the cockatoo family, both in appearance and intelligence. The most distinctive features of the Moluccan are its large size and bright salmon-pink coloration of the head-crest feathers.

The Moluccan is the largest of the white cockatoos, with the female larger than the male on average. It has white-pink feathers with a definite peachy glow, a slight yellow on the under wing and underside of the tail feathers and a large retractable recumbent crest which it raises when threatened, revealing concealed bright red-orange plumes to frighten potential attackers (may also be raised in excitement or other 'emotional' displays). It has heavy, white powder-down on the feathers and is sexually dimorphic by iris coloration. As they get older the iris of the females' eyes will develop a brownish color, the males' eyes will remain black

It also has one of the louder calls in the parrot world and in captivity is a capable mimic.

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Goffin's

Goffin’s Cockatoo

Cacatuagoffini

Photographed at

Downtown Disney, Orlando, Florida  Mar 2016

Goffin's Cockatoos are a smaller cockatoo that is white with pink highlights in front of the eyes and on the breast. They are one of the better talkers among the cockatoos. They are easy to teach all kinds of tricks. Cockatoos in general are a very loving type of bird that needs a lot of attention from their owners.

Goffin's Cockatoos often have the peculiar habit of putting things on their backs, or tossing them over their heads. They will hop straight up and down and love to dance. Acrobatic tricks often become second nature to them.

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