Cockatoos are birds in the parrot family that have a crest of feathers on their heads. They are omnivores that can eat nuts, seeds, and beetle larvae. They make their habitats in the rain forests of Australia and surrounding areas, but can also be great pets!
A cockatoo is any of the 21 parrot species belonging to the family Cacatuidae, the only family in the superfamily Cacatuoidea. Along with the Psittacoidea and the Strigopoidea, they make up the order Psittaciformes.
Cockatoos are very popular pet birds with personalities as flashy and dynamic as their crest. While these birds may be best known for the fan of feathers that they display on tops of their heads, there are plenty of other fun and fascinating cockatoo facts for bird lovers to focus on.
Cockatoos range in size: the tallest is Red-tailed black cockatoo up to 65 centimeters (26 inches); the shortest are Solomons cockatoo, Philippine cockatoo and cockatiel at 30 centimeters (12 inches); the heaviest is Palm cockatoo at 1 kilogram (35 ounces); the lightest are Tanimbar corella and Philippine cockatoo at 300 grams (10.5 ounces).
Cockatoos have a large bill, which is kept sharp by rasping the two mandibles together when resting. The bill is complemented by a large muscular tongue which helps manipulate seeds inside the bill so that they can be de-husked before eating.
Cockatoos, depending on the species will eat an assortment of seeds, fruits, nuts, berries, blossoms, roots, and vegetation such as leaf buds. Some cockatoos even eat insects and their larva. They are known to raid farmers’ crops, destroy sprouts, mature crops and bagged grain.