Small yellow-crested cockatoo
Contents
Yellow-crested cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea)
Order | Parrots |
family | Cockatoo |
Race | Cockatoo |
In the photo: a small yellow-crested cockatoo. Photo: wikimedia.org
Appearance (description) of a small yellow-crested cockatoo
The Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo is a short-tailed parrot with an average body length of about 33 cm and a weight of about 380 grams. Male and female yellow-crested cockatoos are colored the same. The main color of the plumage is white, in some places slightly yellowish. The ear area is yellow-orange in color. Tuft yellow. The periorbital ring is devoid of feathers and has a bluish color. The beak is gray-black, the paws are gray. The iris of the eyes in mature females is orange-brown, in males it is brown-black.
In nature, there are 4 subspecies of the small yellow-crested cockatoo, which differ in color elements, size and habitat.
Lifespan of the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo with proper care is about 40 – 60 years.
Habitat and life in nature of a small yellow-crested cockatoo
The world wild population of the yellow-crested cockatoo is about 10000 individuals. Inhabits the Lesser Sunda Islands and Sulawesi. There is an introduced population in Hong Kong. The species keeps at an altitude of up to 1200 meters above sea level. They inhabit semi-arid territories, coconut groves, hills, forests, agricultural lands.
Small yellow-crested cockatoos feed on various seeds, berries, fruits, insects, nuts, visit fields with corn and rice. From fruits, they prefer mango, dates, guava and papaya.
Usually found in pairs or small flocks of up to 10 individuals. Large flocks may gather to feed on fruit trees. They are quite noisy at the same time. They love to swim in the rain.
In the photo: a small yellow-crested cockatoo. Photo: wikimedia.org
Reproduction of the small yellow-crested cockatoo
The nesting season of the small yellow-crested cockatoo, depending on the habitat, may fall on September – October or April – May.
Nests are built in the hollows of trees, usually at a height of about 10 meters above the ground. The clutch of the yellow-crested cockatoo is usually 2, sometimes 3 eggs. Parents incubate alternately for 28 days.
Sulphur-crested cockatoo chicks leave the nest at 10 to 12 weeks of age.
