# Palm Cockatoo (*probosciger aterrimus*) The Palm Cockatoo is a large, striking bird with a bold crest and a powerful beak. These birds love to play and can often be seen bouncing around in the trees! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Tropical forests and woodlands in New Guinea and nearby islands. - **Also known as:** Black Palm Cockatoo, Great Black Cockatoo, Umbrella Cockatoo ![Palm Cockatoo](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Probosciger_aterrimus%252C_Cape_York_1.jpg&width=800) Photo: Jim Bendon from Karratha, Australia, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Probosciger_aterrimus%252C_Cape_York_1.jpg) ## Appearance The Palm Cockatoo is a large, striking black parrot with a massive, powerful black beak. It features bright red bare patches of skin on its cheeks that flush with excitement, and a dramatic, erectile crest of long, slender black feathers. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Psittaciformes - **Family:** Psittacidae - **Genus:** Probosciger ## Interesting facts - Palm Cockatoos are the only cockatoo species known to use tools for drumming! - Their impressive crest feathers can stand straight up, signaling surprise or alarm. - They are unique for laying only a single egg at a time, a rare trait for parrots. - This magnificent bird possesses one of the largest beaks among all parrot species. ## Special abilities - **Drumming Maestro:** Palm Cockatoos can use sticks or seed pods to drum on hollow logs, creating rhythmic beats that help them communicate with other cockatoos. - **Tool-Using Architect:** Palm Cockatoos use tools like twigs to fashion and maintain their nests, ensuring a safe home for their single chick. - **Emotional Indicator:** Palm Cockatoos have bare red cheek patches that change color, showing excitement or stress, a unique way to display feelings. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 55-60 cm - **Wingspan:** 90-100 cm - **Weight:** 0.91-1.2 kg - **Lifespan:** 40-90 years - **Speed:** 55 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1 - **Incubation:** 30-35 days ## Diet & Feeding These large birds munch on hard seeds, nuts, and fruits found in their forest homes. - **Primary Foods:** Parinari nonda fruit, Canarium indicum nuts, Eucalyptus tessellaris seeds, Pandanus conoideus nuts, Wood-boring insect larvae - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Nonda plum (*Parinari nonda*) — Consumes fruit, aiding in seed dispersal through its droppings. - **Eats:** Galip nut tree (*Canarium indicum*) — Cracks open hard nuts for sustenance with its powerful beak. - **Eats:** Moreton Bay Ash (*Eucalyptus tessellaris*) — Feeds on seeds, extracting them from the tree's capsules. - **Eaten by:** Wedge-tailed Eagle (*Aquila audax*) — Adults and chicks can occasionally fall prey to this large raptor. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Palm Cockatoo? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Palm Cockatoo? 55-60 cm ### What is Palm Cockatoo's wingspan? 90-100 cm ### How much does Palm Cockatoo weigh? 0.91-1.2 kg ### How long does Palm Cockatoo live? 40-90 years ### How fast can Palm Cockatoo move? 55 km/h ### What does Palm Cockatoo eat? These large birds munch on hard seeds, nuts, and fruits found in their forest homes. ### Where is Palm Cockatoo usually found? Tropical forests and woodlands in New Guinea and nearby islands. ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Palm Cockatoo: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/palm-cockatoo)