SULPHUR-CRESTED COCKATOO

Cockatoos are large parrots with crests on their heads. The sulphur-crested is found in forests and open country in northern and eastern Australia. It is a medium to large cockatoo with a narrow yellow crest that it raises and fans when excited. Its plumage is mainly white with a yellow wash under the wings. The call is a harsh screeching. Sulphur-crested cockatoos gather in flocks when not breeding. They feed on the ground in the cooler part of the day on seeds, bulbs, roots and insect larvae. When sitting around, these sociable, playful birds may strip bark from trees. These cockatoos nest in hollow in large, old trees, usually near water. The 2-3 white eggs are incubated for 30 days.

YELLOW-TAILED BLACK COCKATOO

These very large cockatoos are found in coastal areas and ranges from Rockhampton, Queensland, to Tasmania and west to SA. The tail makes up roughly half the bird's length. The male has black feathers edged with yellow, a small yellow cheek patch and a brown eye surrounded by pink skin. The female has a grey eye surrounded by grey skin and a larger brighter cheek patch. These cockatoos eat pine, banksia and hakea seeds. From Rockhampton to Gippsland, they also eat wood boring insect larvae. A pair nests in a tree hollow high above the ground. The female incubates the 2 eggs for 6 weeks, while the male feeds her. Only 1 chick survives and is fed by both parents. It does not become independent until the next nesting season.