This powerful bill enables palm cockatoos not only to eat very hard nuts and seeds, but also enables males to break off thick (about 1 in) sticks from live trees to use for a drumming display. It is a distinctive bird with a large crest and has one of the largest bills of any parrot (only the hyacinth macaw's is larger). It may be the largest cockatoo species and largest parrot in Australia, although large races of yellow-tailed black cockatoos and sulphur-crested cockatoos broadly overlap in size. Confusingly, this name was also used by early naturalists and Brazilian natives to refer to the dark blue hyacinth macaw. It is also sometimes given the misnomer 'black macaw' in aviculture - the macaws are unrelated New World parrots. The species was named the 'Goliath Aratoo' in Wood's Natural History (1862). 'Palm cockatoo' has been designated the official name by the International Ornithological Committee (IOC). stenolophus, similar to the goliath, but crest feathers are much narrower). macgillivrayi, intermediate in size, and the northern palm cockatoo (P. aterrimus), the larger goliath cockatoo (P. Earlier limited genetic studies found it to be the earliest offshoot from the ancestors of what have become the cockatoo family.įour subspecies are recognized, three poorly differentiated and one distinctive. The only member of the monotypic genus, Probosciger, the palm cockatoo is a member of the white cockatoo subfamily Cacatuinae. Its specific name, Probosciger aterrimus, is from Latin proboscis, long thin nose + -ger, carry, and Latin superlative adjective for ater, black, hence a 'black with a long thin nose (beak)'. Regular bathing with clear, warm water will also help.The palm cockatoo was originally described by German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in 1788 as Psittacus aterrimus. Use air purifiers if you have room for them, as these items help to cut down on the dust. Cockatoo food shouldn’t be boring to eat, either, and will love foods like Avi-Cakes, Pellet-Berries, Nutri-Berries, and Lafeber’s Premium Daily Diet Pellets.Īnother serious consideration for a new owner is the powder dust that these cockatoos emit, which can irritate those owners with sensitive respiratory systems or allergies. Like all companion parrots, cockatoos do not thrive on birdseed alone. Wild cockatoos forage all day for seeds and nuts, as well as coconuts and grain crops. Cockatoos are fun-loving, intelligent and energetic parrots, and their food should reflect those traits. The umbrella also tends to become spoiled very easily, and will not take well to changes in routine, or additions to the family, such as an infant or new puppy.įood for cockatoos should be nutritious, but should also include a foraging element as well.

This is not a good first bird, nor is a good child’s pet. The umbrella cockatoo owner should have experience with parrots before taking on this feathered handful. An umbrella can’t live happily in a small space, and will become weary and apathetic or agitated and aggressive if confined. They are prone to self-mutilation and the infections that result from that abnormal behavior.īecause this bird is large and hates being confined to the point of chewing and picking out its feathers, it requires a large space to live in, preferably an enormous, well-build cage with a top that opens into a playstand. Unfortunately, many of these sensitive birds don’t live that long. The umbrella cockatoo is a long-term commitment for an owner - this species can live up to 70 years with proper care and attention.

Cockatoo species name