Cockatoo: Everything You Need To Know

Cockatoos are very unique birds and, although they are not considered as parrots in the strict sense, they belong to the same order as the  Psittaciformes . It is therefore inevitable that they have many similarities.

Cockatoos or parrots?

The greatest distinguishing feature of the 21 cockatoo species, compared to the so-called “real” parrots, is the plume. It is made up of an ordered group of erectile feathers, which unfold when the animal is excited or angry. Obviously, it plays a fundamental role during courtship.

Although claws and beaks of parrots and cockatoos are very similar, it is surprising that most have much more muted colors than real parrots. Among them predominate the colors white, gray or even black.

These animals do not make nests, but they use crevices and holes in trees to create their own lair. Thus deforestation is one of the main threats to their survival. With indiscriminate felling of trees not only do they lose a large part of their habitat , but above all they lack a safe place where they can reproduce and lay their eggs.

The feeding of parrots and cockatoos is very similar: these birds usually eat seeds, bulbs, fruit, flowers and insects, which they hunt by gathering in small flocks. Another curiosity cockatoos possess is that they represent one of the few cases of monogamy in the animal kingdom.

The extraordinary behavior of the cockatoos

As for their behavior, they are highly intelligent animals, just like their distant cousins. They have enormous emotional intelligence, which makes them prey to diseases such as parrot depression, in which they even harm themselves, obsessively pecking at their feathers.

There is a behavioral difference between cockatoos and the rest of parrots. The former are particularly sensitive to music, and it has been shown that they can follow the rhythm of a song and even dance to it.

But the surprises of these magnificent and colorful birds do not stop there. Although it seems incredible, palm cockatoos were discovered using their beaks to create music, as if they were “playing” percussion, in their natural habitat  . In particular, this is a typical behavior of male specimens. This variety of cockatoo grabs sticks with its beak and then hits trees at a set pace. In short, they turn into real drummers with the intent of attracting females. In fact, the possible  partner will decide to mate only with the male can good at playing.

Where do cockatoos live?

This is certainly one of the main differences that distinguishes cockatoos from parrots. While the latter populate parts of Africa and South America, the habitat of cockatoos is reduced to the area of ​​Australia and some islands that surround it.

Thanks to their adaptability, these birds are able to survive in a wide variety of habitats , as long as there are trees to use as nests, as we mentioned earlier. They can inhabit jungles, high mountain forests or mangroves. While some species barely move, others travel hundreds of kilometers in search of food.

Unfortunately, many of them are considered a real plague, since in case of food shortage they take advantage of human crops, but responsible for having invaded their original habitat . In urban areas they often destroy furniture, signs but also cables and satellite antennas, using their powerful beak.

Its main threats are the aforementioned deforestation and wildlife trafficking, due to their use as pets. Normally, these birds are placed in plastic bottles or other hollow objects and travel in suitcases, only to be sold illegally in more developed countries.