Cockatoo

Cockatoo
Sulphur-crested cockatoo Cacatua galerita
Scientific classification
Kingdom Information
Domain	Eukaryota
Kingdom	Animalia
Subkingdom	Bilateria
Branch	Deuterostomia
Phylum Information
Phylum	Chordata
Sub-phylum	Vertebrata
Infraphylum	Gnathostomata
Class Information
Superclass	Tetrapoda
Class	Aves
Sub-class	Neornithes
Infra-class	Neoaves
Order Information
Superorder	Psittacimorphae
Order	Psittaciformes
Family Information
Family	Cacatuidae
Population statistics

Cockatoo refers to the twenty-one species of parrot-like birds in the family Cacatuidae, immediately characterized from other parrots by the presence of a flamboyant crest on the tops of their heads. Found in Australia and nearby island countries, cockatoos are at once familiar cage birds or agricultural pests; both have severely impacted the numbers of several species, and caused Australia to pass legislation barring exportation.

Description

Most species of cockatoo are medium-sized birds, with an average length of 15-18 inches. The smallest is the cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus), which is 13 inches in length, while the palm cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus) at 24 inches is nearly equal in size with the largest macaws. With the exception of the cockatiel, all cockatoos have a short, blunt tail.

All cockatoo species bear a crest on their heads. The crest is raised if the bird is excited or threatened, and in some species it is a display of a contrasting color to their overall plumage.

Cockatoos have an upright stance when perched; when not flying they move about in the trees using their hooked beak as a climbing aid. On the ground they walk with a rolling gait. Both feet are zygodactyl, i.e. two toes in front, two toes behind, a trait shared with owls and woodpeckers. Cockatoos further use one foot as a "hand" to hold and bring food to its mouth.

Cockatoo plumage differs from other parrots in that the feathers do not contain the brilliant colors caused by psittacofulvins. The various species have as their base plumage either black, white, or pink as the main color; contrasting colors, such as red or yellow are either part of the facial skin or the crest.

Phylogeny

• Family Cacatuidae

Subfamily Cacatuinae

Tribe Cacatuini:

Genus Cacatua

Blue-eyed cockatoo, Cacatua ophthalmica

Goffin's cockatoo, Cacatua goffiniana

Little corella, Cacatua sanguinea

Long-billed corella, Cacatua tenuirostris

Moluccan cockatoo, Cacatua moluccensis

Red-vented cockatoo, Cacatua haematuropygia

Solomons cockatoo, Cacatua ducorpsii

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Cacatua galerita

Umbrella cockatoo, Cacatua alba

Western corella, Cacatua pastinator

Yellow-crested cockatoo, Cacatua sulphurea

Genus Callocephalon

Gang-gang cockatoo, Callocephalon fimbriatum

Genus Eolophus

Galah, Eolophus roseicapilla

Genus Lophochroa

Pink cockatoo, Lophochroa leadbeateri

Tribe Microglossini

Genus Probosciger

Palm cockatoo, Probosciger aterrimus

Subfamily Calyptorhynchinae

Genus Calyptorhynchus

Glossy black cockatoo, Calyptorhynchus lathami

Long-billed black cockatoo, Calyptorhynchus baudinii

Red-tailed black cockatoo, Calyptorhynchus banksii

Short-billed black cockatoo, Calyptorhynchus latirostris

Yellow-tailed black cockatoo, Calyptorhynchus funereus

Subfamily Nymphicinae

Genus Nymphicus

Cockatiel, Nymphicus hollandicus