FAMILY NAME: Cacatuidae SCIENTIFIC NAME: Cacatua roseicapilla SUBSPECIES: none
SIZE: 35cm. (14") tip to tail.
LOCATION: Very common and widespread over the entire continent of Australia.
BREEDING: Breeding season varies from July to December in the south, and February to July in the north. These birds pairbond for life and raise 3 to 4 chicks in a clutch. Both the male and female incubate and feed their young. The chick mortality rate is high, at around 50%. They nest in tree hollows, which are leaf lined.
GENERAL: Open woodlands and grasslands are their preferred habitat, feeding on seeds. They will also feed on cultivated crops, making them a pest in some areas. They form very large flocks and can be quite noisy. A very distinctive bird with light pink crown and crest, red iris on the female and brown on the male, salmon pink face, neck, upper back and underside. The wings, back and tail are light grey, and the rump is whitish.
References:
Michael Morecombe. Field Guide to Australian Birds, Complete Compact Edtion.
Ken Simpson - Nicholas Day. The Birds of Australia.
M. Blakers - S. J. J. F. Davies - P. N. Reilly. The Atlas of Australian Birds.
Birds in Backyards. www.birdsinbackyards.net
