# Yellow-Crested Cockatoo (*cacatua sulphurea*)

The Yellow-Crested Cockatoo is a bright and cheerful bird with a stunning yellow crest on its head! It loves to play and can mimic sounds, making it a fun companion in the wild.

- **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird)
- **Rarity:** Rare
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** They live in tropical forests and woodlands, primarily on the islands of Indonesia.
- **Also known as:** Yellow-Crested Parrot

![Yellow-Crested Cockatoo](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Gelbwangenkakadu_8559.jpg&width=800)

Photo: J. Patrick Fischer, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gelbwangenkakadu_8559.jpg)

## Appearance

The Yellow-Crested Cockatoo is a medium-sized, striking white parrot known for its prominent, bright yellow crest that it can raise. It has black eyes, a strong greyish-black beak, and subtle yellow undertones on its wings and tail.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Aves
- **Order:** Psittaciformes
- **Family:** Psittacidae
- **Genus:** Cacatua

## Interesting facts

- A cockatoo's foot has two toes forward and two back for excellent grip.
- These clever birds can even learn to solve simple puzzles!
- They often "dance" to music, bobbing their heads and flapping wings!
- They use their beaks like an extra hand to climb and explore.

## Special abilities

- **Master Mimic:** Yellow-Crested Cockatoo can imitate human speech and sounds because of its complex vocal cords that help them communicate.
- **Powerful Nutcracker:** Yellow-Crested Cockatoo has an incredibly strong beak that helps them crack open tough nuts and seeds with ease.
- **Acrobatic Flyer:** Yellow-Crested Cockatoo can navigate dense forests with agility because of its strong wings that help them find food.

## Measurements & details

- **Length:** 33-35 cm
- **Wingspan:** 60-70 cm
- **Weight:** 0.25-0.35 kg
- **Lifespan:** 30-40 years
- **Speed:** 55 km/h
- **Clutch Size:** 2-3
- **Incubation:** 25-27 days

## Diet & Feeding

These smart birds mostly munch on seeds, nuts, fruits, and tasty insects.

- **Primary Foods:** Seeds, Nuts, Berries, Fruits, Insect larvae, Flower buds
- **Foraging Method:** Foraging

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** Rufous-bellied Eagle (*Hieraaetus kienerii*) — Hunts adult cockatoos and fledglings.
- **Eats:** Cluster Fig (*Ficus racemosa*) — Feeds on the sweet fruit of this tree.
- **Eats:** [Coconut Palm](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coconut-palm) (*Cocos nucifera*) — Feeds on the rich flesh of coconut fruits.

## 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.
- [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 Yellow-Crested 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 Yellow-Crested Cockatoo?

33-35 cm

### What is Yellow-Crested Cockatoo's wingspan?

60-70 cm

### How much does Yellow-Crested Cockatoo weigh?

0.25-0.35 kg

### How long does Yellow-Crested Cockatoo live?

30-40 years

### How fast can Yellow-Crested Cockatoo move?

55 km/h

### What does Yellow-Crested Cockatoo eat?

These smart birds mostly munch on seeds, nuts, fruits, and tasty insects.

### Where is Yellow-Crested Cockatoo usually found?

They live in tropical forests and woodlands, primarily on the islands of Indonesia.

## 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*)

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Source: [Yellow-Crested Cockatoo: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-crested-cockatoo)