Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

The Sulphur-crested Cockatoo is one of the largest and most familiar cockatoos, widespread across Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands. It is easily identified by its brilliant white plumage and tall, forward-curling yellow crest.

Appearance

Plumage is entirely white apart from a pale yellow wash on the underside of the wings and tail, and a striking sulphur-yellow crest of long, narrow feathers that can be raised into a dramatic fan or held flat along the head. The bill is large, black, and powerfully hooked, and the legs are dark grey. Sexes look similar, though the female's eye is often a slightly redder brown compared to the male's darker brown-black eye.

General Impression

Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are bold, noisy, and highly visible birds, often seen in large, loud flocks feeding on the ground or perched conspicuously in tall trees.

Key Field Marks

• Large, entirely white parrot
• Tall yellow crest, raised when alarmed or displaying
• Yellow wash on underwing and undertail
• Massive black bill
• Loud, harsh screeching calls

Similar Species

• Umbrella Cockatoo is also white but has a white (not yellow) crest and lacks the yellow wash under the wings.
• Galah is much smaller with pink and grey plumage, not white.
• Little Corella and Long-billed Corella are smaller, mostly white cockatoos lacking a prominent yellow crest and yellow underwing tint.

The combination of large size, bright yellow crest, and yellow-tinted underwing separates this species from other white cockatoos.

Range

Widespread across northern and eastern Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea and nearby islands. Introduced, self-sustaining populations exist in New Zealand and parts of Southeast Asia.

Habitat

Highly adaptable, occupying rainforest edges, eucalypt woodland, farmland, and increasingly towns and cities, where it readily exploits parks, gardens, and bird feeders.

Movements

Mostly sedentary, though flocks may travel locally in search of food, particularly outside the breeding season.

Social Behavior

Highly gregarious, often forming large, noisy flocks numbering from dozens to hundreds of birds, especially when feeding or roosting communally.

Voice

Gives extremely loud, harsh, grating screeches that carry long distances; flocks are often heard well before they come into view.

Feeding

Forages both on the ground and in trees for seeds, nuts, berries, roots, and bulbs, and commonly raids cultivated grain crops and orchards. It uses its strong bill to dig for roots and to crack hard seeds and nuts.

Nesting and Breeding

Nests in large tree hollows, often reusing the same site over many years. Clutches typically contain two to three eggs, incubated by both parents for around 30 days, with chicks remaining dependent on the parents for several months after fledging.