A musical cockatoo
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381810)
Rockingham, Australia
August 12, 2025 12:26am CST
I mentioned a competition being held by ABC Science, ABC standing for Australian Broadcasting Corporation. They are asking the community to vote on their favourite under-rated Australian creature. One of these is the palm cockatoo.
This black and scarlet parrot (Probosciger aterrimus) has a black mohawk, bright-red cheek patches, and a powerful, sharply hooked beak, the lower part of which looks like a shovel. It has no trouble biting through sticks as thick as a person’s thumb.
It’s found in the rainforests and woodlands of Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, as well as in the Aru Islands and New Guinea.
What is particularly interesting is that the males, mostly, ‘drum’ against a bough or tree, using a large stick or seed pod. The reason is not clear but the drumming can be heard about 100 metres away. It’s an impressive bird with a 1.5 metre wingspan.
The photo is from Wikimedia and was taken by garywwilson
8 people like this
8 responses
@NJChicaa (127117)
• United States
12 Aug
I used to have 3 parrots at one point--blue and gold macaw, Timneh African Grey, and an Eclectus. The Eclectus hen was my absolute favorite and such a gem. They are native to Papa New Guinea and I think Australia. The females of that species are known to be difficult and aggressive when they felt broody but she never was. I miss her.
I would never get a cockatoo. People have to get plastic surgery from bites on their faces when they get attacked. I like watching videos of them on Instagram but I wouldn't have one. . . but people would probably say that about female Eclectus parrots too.
In any case I won't have a parrot again. They were fun but also expensive to maintain and extremely messy. My Scarlett definitely had all of the cats afraid of her though. She was fearless!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381810)
• Rockingham, Australia
13 Aug
How 'bout that? The African Grey is supposed to be the most intelligent of all of the parrot and cockatoo species. I find it amazing that the Eclectus sexes are such different colours. In the early days, it wasn't recognised that they were male and female of the same species because they were so different.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (135583)
• Marion, Ohio
12 Aug
It's pretty. So far it's my favorite
1 person likes this
@sathviksouvik (23235)
•
12 Aug
very interesting information Judy i am seeing this type of cockatoo for the first time
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381810)
• Rockingham, Australia
13 Aug
I haven't seen a real but I'm sure they'd be quite impressive.
@JudyEv (381810)
• Rockingham, Australia
13 Aug
It is indeed. They are popular as pets but some can be very noisy and screech a lot.
