Common name Sulphur-crested cockatoo
Scientific name Cacatua galerita
Type Bird
Diet Berries, seeds, nuts, and fruit
Average lifespan Around 40 years but can live up to 100 years
Size Between 45cm and 50cm in length with a wingspan of up to 103cm

Quirky and clever, the sulphur-crested cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) is one of Australia’s most likable birds with a personality that’s often larger than life.

A popular pet choice right across the world, this cockatoo can be taught to ‘talk’ and is known to live to a ripe old age, with some birds making it to their 100th birthday whilst in captivity!

a sulphur-crested cockatoo in flight
Pale yellow feathers on the underside of the sulphur-crested cockatoo’s wings are revealed during flight. Image credit: JJ Harrison

An unmistakable white plumage and distinctive sulphur-yellow crest have transformed this cockatoo into a national icon, and the image of this recognisable species is regularly used on everything from clothing to bedlinen, artworks to stationery. With a dark-grey black bill, this cockatoo also has soft, pale-yellow feathers on the underside of its wings, which are revealed during flight. 

Sulphur-crested cockatoos can be found throughout the northern, eastern, and south-eastern mainland of Australia, as well as Tasmania. There is a small number of the birds that have taken up residency around Perth, Western Australia, and this species also inhabits Papua New Guinea and the Aru Islands, and has been introduced to Indonesia and New Zealand. 

Making its home within a large variety of tree-filled habitats, this cockatoo is adaptable and versatile. A non-migratory bird, this cockatoo stays within the same home range year-round. These cockatoos live easily side by side with human settlement and can be found living within cities, as well as urban and farming areas.

When it comes to food, the sulphur-crested cockatoo is a communal eater, preferring to dine in small to large groups in the morning or late afternoon. Berries, grass seeds, nuts, plants, and insects make up the menu, but this curious species has also become accustomed to enjoying the odd hand-out from humans. 

an illustration of two Sulphur-crested cockatoos
The sulphur-crested cockatoo is a national icon. Illustration credit: Ego Guiotto/Australian Geographic

These cockatoos have a clever natural alarm system that allows them to feed on the ground in peace, with at least one bird positioning itself within a nearby tree to keep watch over the others. If the lookout bird senses a predator nearby or that danger is imminent, it will let out an almighty screech, alerting the feeding birds to take flight. 

The sulphur-crested cockatoo is considered a pest in some suburban settings, thanks to the damage it causes to maintain its beak. The bird will regularly bite off smaller leaves and branches from trees, leaving behind a trail of destruction. But the method behind the mess comes from the fact that the parrot’s beak continuously grows, and the chewing of branches and leaves helps to keep it trimmed and tidy. 

Hollows within old or dead trees provide the perfect space for the sulphur-crested cockatoo to nest. Both the female and male birds will prepare the nest. The female cockatoo will lay between one and four eggs and both parents help to incubate and care for the hatched chicks. Juvenile cockatoos are covered in pale yellow down and stay close to their parents as they grow, with family groups staying together indefinitely. 

The sound of the sulphur-crested cockatoo is distinct and loud, with its screech ending with a slight upward inflection. Most vocal as they roost in the early morning and late afternoon, cockatoo flocks have their own resting site where they usually sleep and return for life.