Animal: Cockatoo

Scientific Name: Numerous, depending on the type and species

Animal Type: Bird

Habitats: Island, Savanna, Scrubland and Tropical Rain Forest

The Cockatoo:

The Cockatoo is a beautiful, intelligent bird similar to a parrot but distinct in that it possesses a sizable, moveable crest on the top of its head.

Physical Characteristics:

Cockatoos share many features with other parrots including the characteristic curved beak shape and a zygodactyl foot, with two forward toes and two backwards toes. They differ, however in a number of characteristics, including the often spectacular movable headcrest, the presence of a gall bladder and some other anatomical details, and their lack of the Dyck texture feather composition which causes the bright blues and greens seen in true parrots.

Cockatoo species are, on average, larger than the average size of true parrots; however, the cockatiel, the smallest Cockatoo, is a small bird, and some of the largest parrots including the Hyacinth Macaw (the longest parrot) and the flightless Kakapo (the heaviest parrot), are true parrots.

Food Chain:

Cockatoos eat nuts, seeds and fruits found in their natural habitat. A few species of Cockatoo also eat insects, grubs and the like.

Habitat features:

Cockatoos are generally found in tropical and island habitats. Cockatoos have a much more restricted range than the true parrots, occurring naturally only in Australia and nearby islands. Eleven of the 21 species exist in the wild only in Australia, while seven species occur in Indonesia, New Guinea, and other south Pacific islands. Three species occur in both New Guinea and Australia.