Cockatoos and their allies (corellas and cockatoos) are parrots that belong to the family Cacatuidae, which is located in the order Psittaciformes. The family includes 21 species in 8 genera.
They are known as Australasian cockatoos because they are mainly found on mainland Australia, but some are also distributed in the Philippines, Indonesia, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
Cockatoos have interesting features such as prominent crests and solid, curved beaks. While their crests are often impressive, they don’t display them consistently, so they can look quite different depending on whether the crest is raised or not.
They also have an interesting toe arrangement; the two outer fingers face backwards and the two middle fingers face forward. This turns them into zygodactyls and allows them to firmly cling to hangers and other objects. The zygodactyl arrangement also allows them to pick up food with one of their feet while perched.
They vary in color from plain white to a multitude of colors. Cockatoos feed on seeds, fruits, flowers, insects and tubers. You will often see large flocks or small groups of cockatoos feeding or flying together. When it comes to nesting, cockatoos use holes in trees.
The 21 types of Australasian cockatoos will be described in the following article.
The blue-eyed cockatoo is a large parrot with primarily white plumage, a whitish-yellow crest, and blue eye rings. The underside of the wing and underside of the tail have a yellow wash.
They have dark eyes and a black beak. They are endemic to Papua New Guinea, where they live in New Britain in lowland tropical forests.
The red-vented cockatoo is a large white parrot with yellow cheeks, underwings and tail. The cloaca is red, the beak pale and the eye dark.
They are only found in the Palawan archipelago in the Philippines. They live in mangroves, forests, and sometimes on farmland.
The salmon-crested cockatoo has overall white plumage, with a pink wash to some feathers and a deep salmon-colored crest. The tail and wings are yellow below, while the eye and beak are dark.
They are endemic to Indonesia, where they are found in the Seram archipelago. In terms of habitat, they prefer lowland forests.
The Solomon’s cockatoo is a small white parrot with light blue eye rings, dark eyes, and a pale beak. A brown wash is sometimes seen on the chest and belly, while the underwing and tail are yellowish.
They are endemic to the Solomon Islands archipelago and are found in lowland forests, open areas and yards.
The sulfur-crested cockatoo has a smooth white body, a dark beak, and a yellow crest. The underside of the wing and underside of the tail have a yellow wash. Males have black eyes and females have brownish-red eyes.
The native range of this large parrot is in Australia, New Guinea and the Aru Islands in Indonesia. They inhabit forests, parks and patios.
The White Cockatoo is a medium-sized parrot with completely white plumage, including the crest. The lower wings and tail have a touch of yellow and the bill is dark gray.
In addition to size, female white cockatoos can be differentiated from males by having reddish-brown eyes, while males have dark brown eyes. They live in the rainforests of the Moluccas Islands.
The yellow-crested cockatoo is generally white, with a yellow spot on each ear, a yellow crest, a dark beak, and dark eyes. Its wings and tail are washed yellow.
This medium-sized parrot is native to Indonesia and is found in forests, forest edges and open bushland.
Little Corella is a small white parrot with overall white plumage. Blue eye rings surround its dark eyes and there is a pink patch between the eyes and the pale beak.
They have a yellow wash on the underside of the wing and on the underside of the tail. They are found in Australia and New Guinea, where they inhabit many habitats, including deserts, coastal plains, and urban areas.
The Long-billed Corella is white, with one dark eye, a pale blue eye ring, and reddish-pink spots between the eye and the pale bill, as well as on the chin.
The underside of the tail and wings are washed yellow. This medium-sized parrot is found in grasslands, forests, parks and fields. They are native to southeastern Australia.
The Tanimbar Corella is a small white parrot with grayish-blue eye rings and a pink spot between the pale gray beak and eyes. The underside of the tail and wings are tinted yellow.
The eyes of males are black and the eyes of females are brown. They are found naturally in the Tanimbar Islands archipelago of Indonesia. They live in forests and agricultural areas.
The Western Corella is a small parrot with a tiny crest. This species is generally white, with a pink marking between the eyes and a relatively pale bill.
They have yellow undersides and tails. The eye is dark with a pale blue eye ring. They are only found in southwestern Australia. Their favorite habitats are farmland and wooded areas.
The Gang-gang Cockatoo is a small parrot with a scaly appearance. They are greenish-gray throughout the body, with dark eyes, a gray eye ring, and pale beak. A red head and crest are seen in males.
Females have gray heads, crests, and underfeathers edged with salmon-pink. They are restricted to southeastern Australia. They live in forests, wooded areas, parks and patios.
The glossy black cockatoo is a relatively small parrot with brownish-black plumage and a browner head. Both sexes have dark eyes and gray beaks, but the male differs from the female in having red tail feathers.
Females have yellow spots on the neck and face and orange-red feathers on the tail. They live in eastern Australia. They occur in forests and open woodlands.
The Red-tailed Black Cockatoo has black plumage and dark eyes. Males have two red tail panels and a dark gray bill. Females have yellow to yellow-orange bars on the tail and chest, while the face and wings have yellow to red spots.
Females also have horn-colored bills. This large parrot is found in Australia, where it lives in eucalyptus forests, bushlands, grasslands and rainforests.
The Galah is a large and beautiful parrot. They have gray upperparts, pinkish underparts, neck and face, a whitish-pink crown and crest, and a pale bill. The female of this species has pink eyes. On the other hand, males have dark brown eyes.
They are widespread in Australia in many habitats, including open woodland, fields, agricultural areas, bushland, grasslands, parks, yards and other urban areas.
The Major Mitchell’s cockatoo is a small, distinctive cockatoo with pale pink underparts and white upperparts. They have large colorful crests, white on top and red and yellow on the bottom.
The underparts of the wings are pink, the bill pale, and a red spot borders the bill. Males and females are differentiated by eye color: pink or red in females and dark brown in males.
They live in inland areas of Australia, where they are found in arid and semi-arid habitats such as forests, bushlands, wooded grasslands and savannahs.
The cockatoo is a small parrot with a long tail. They have gray bodies with large white spots on the wings, dark eyes, gray bills, and paler underparts. Males have yellowish-white faces, yellow crests, and orange cheek spots.
Females are grayer in areas where males are colorful, and have spots and bars on the underside of their tail and wings that males lack. They occur in arid and semi-arid habitats (usually near water) and are native to Australia.
The palm cockatoo is an impressive large-crested parrot. They have dark grayish-black plumage with a sizable dark bill, dark eyes, and a bright red spot on the cheeks.
They are found in New Guinea, the Aru Islands in Indonesia, and the Cape York Peninsula in Australia. They live in tropical forests and jungles.
The Baudin’s black cockatoo is a small, grayish-black cockatoo with a white panel on its tail, dark brown eyes, and white ear patches. Their feathers have a white edge, giving them a scalloped appearance.
The male is separated from the female by the pink (instead of gray) eye rings and the dark gray (instead of off-white) bill. They are found in the moist eucalyptus forests of southwestern Australia.
The Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo is a medium-sized black parrot. They have white ear patches, white tail panels, and brown eyes. Their bodies are grayish black with white trim on the feathers, giving them a scalloped appearance.
Females have bone-colored bills and gray eye rings, while males have dark gray bills with pink eye rings. They are found in southwestern Australia. They inhabit many habitats, including pine plantations, parks, eucalyptus forests, and agricultural land.
The yellow-tailed black cockatoo is a giant brownish-black cockatoo. They have yellow tail panels, yellow cheek patches, and dark eyes. Their bodies appear scalloped due to the yellow edges of the feathers.
Males have black bills and reddish-pink eye rings, while females have bone-colored bills and gray eye rings. They are found in forests, pine plantations, urban areas and eucalyptus forests. They are distributed throughout southeastern Australia.
Cockatoos are a diverse group of parrots native to the Australasian region. Cockatoos are long-lived birds that can live up to 60 years in some species. However, many do not live as long because of the threats they face.
Cockatoos and their allies are severely threatened by habitat loss and the capture of wild birds for the pet trade. Habitat loss occurs when large trees are cut down, reducing available nesting sites.
Population declines are often seen in many species due to their threats, but some species have shown increasing trends. Increases are often due to human expansion and increased food availability due to agricultural practices.
Due to their colorful plumage and outgoing nature, cockatoos are famous in the pet trade. The best-known cage bird of the group is the cockatoo, as it is the easiest species to care for.
Many cockatoo species are classified as vulnerable or critically endangered due to their small distributions and threats. The red-vented cockatoo is an example of a critically endangered species, while the sulfur-crested cockatoo is so common that it is considered a pest.
