Cockatoos | Cacatuidae

Kaketoes | Cacatúas

Cockatoos are a family of parrots from Australia, New Guinea, Indonesia and the Philippines and are not native to the Caribbean. Records in the region concern escaped or released cage birds, with the White Cockatoo and the Cockatiel as examples. Characteristic of the family is a mobile crest that is raised when the bird is excited. Unlike the other parrots, cockatoos lack the feather structure that produces blue and green, so the plumage is mainly white, grey, black, pink or yellow. The bill is powerful and curved, the foot zygodactyl. The White Cockatoo is large and entirely white with a broad white crest and a black bill. The Cockatiel is much smaller and slender, grey with a yellow head, an orange cheek patch, a pointed crest and a long tail. Both give loud, shrill or grating calls, which are often the first sign of an escaped bird.