umbrella cockatoo

Umbrella Cockatoo

Cacatua alba

CLASS Aves | ORDER Psittaciformes | FAMILY Cacatuidae

RANGE Indonesia

HABITAT Prefers wooded areas and are found in forests and open woodland, mangroves, swamps, agricultural areas and are particularly common around the edge of clearings and rivers

DIET Seeds, fruits, nuts and berries, occasionally insects and possibly small lizards

Weight
17 - 22 oz

Size
Avg. 18 in

Wingspan
9 - 12 in

Incubation
30 days

Clutch
Usually 2 eggs

IUCN Status
Endangered
umbrella cockatoo

This species is also known as the white cockatoo. The umbrella cockatoo was named for its broad, backward-bending crest, which opens like an umbrella and fans out.

Their strong beak can easily break a human finger. These birds emit a high-pitched screech or scream in the wild to communicate with one another. Because they live in such large groups, the loudest bird gets to mate!

 

The male and the female share the responsibility of incubating the eggs until they hatch.Typically, the parents raise only one of the chicks. If the first chick to hatch is healthy, they care for that one. If it is malformed or unhealthy, they raise the second chick.

Chicks are born altricial. They learn to fly at 3 months of age but are still dependent on the parents for another 2 - 3 weeks.

 

Unsustainable levels of trapping pose the greatest threat for this species. Deforestation by logging companies and clearing for agriculture and mining have reduced their habitat and nest-site availability. Furthermore, new logging roads greatly facilitate access for trappers.

The highest densities occur in primary forest, and it requires large trees for nesting and communal roosting.