The Sulphur-crested Cockatoo is a large species of cockatoo that lives in parts of Australia and New Guinea. They prefer a wooded habitat.
Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are considered to be pests in part of their range; large groups of these gregarious and raucous birds can damage fields of crops or to wooden man-made structures.
Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are popular in aviculture. They may live up to 70 years or more in captivity. As pets they are demanding, often having a loud personality and the natural need to chew on wood or other hard materials.
A recent study published in the journal Biology Letters documents how Sulphur‑crested Cockatoos in western Sydney, Australia, have developed a novel behavior: operating twist-handle public drinking fountains (“bubblers”) by gripping and turning the valve with their feet to access water. Researchers observed this behavior in an area that... Read more »
