The yellow-crested Cockatoo is a medium-sized white cockatoo with a yellow crest. Also known as the lesser sulfur-crested Cockatoo, this bird has bluish-white bare skin, grey feet, a black bill, and its wings and tail are yellow on the underside.
This rare and endangered species is social and flies in large flocks over forested areas. Due to its appearance, this bird is often confused with the similarly-colored sulfur-crested Cockatoo, although they occupy different geographical ranges.
If you are considering getting this bird as a pet, here are the details about its temperament, physical appearance, exercise needs, and diet requirements.
Species Overview
| Common Name: | Yellow-Crested Cockatoo |
| Scientific Name: | Cacatua Sulphurea |
| Adult Size: | 13-15 inches |
| Lifespan: | 60 years |
Origin and History
The yellow-crested Cockatoo is native to the wooded and cultivated areas of East Timor and Indonesia’s islands of Sulawesi and the Lesser Sundas. These birds have also been introduced in Hong Kong and other parts of the world. Now the birds are confined to a few islands.
The population of this bird species has suffered a massive decline, estimated to be more than 80% in the past 40 years. Because of the deterioration, yellow-crested Cockatoos are classified as critically endangered. There are only a few remnant populations of related subspecies scattered around Indonesia.
With very few yellow-crested cockatoos remaining in the wild, these birds are exposed to a lot of threats. Like other animals found on Indo-Pacific islands, their major threats for survival include pet trade, habitat loss, unsustainable over-exploitation, and fragmentation.
Yellow-crested cockatoos inhabit the forest, forest edges, scrubs, and cultivated areas from sea level up to about 1500 meters.
