Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Cacatua galerita
Also called Greater sulphur-crested cockatoo, White cockatoo
From Australia (east and north, including Tasmania), New Guinea and nearby Indonesian islands. It uses woodland, mangroves, farmland, savanna and suburbs, and small introduced populations live in Perth, Singapore, Palau and New Zealand.12
A friendly guide, not veterinary advice. For anything about your pet's health, ask your vet.
At a glance the quick version
Looks how to spot one
Feathered; large white cockatoo with a forward-curving yellow crest
A big, bright-white cockatoo with a tall crest of narrow sulphur-yellow feathers that curls forward when raised. The undersides of the wings and tail are washed with yellow, the beak is dark slate grey and the eye ring is whitish, or bluish in some subspecies. Males have near-black eyes, while females have reddish-brown eyes.21
Personality what they are like
A bold, intelligent and sociable bird that thrives on interaction. It is famously smart, learns new tricks quickly and has a very loud, raucous voice. It suits experienced keepers who can give lots of company, chewing material and daily attention.21
Daily activity how busy a day looks
High. It loves to chew wood and needs a steady supply of chew and puzzle toys, daily time out of the cage and foraging tasks.23
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Produces powder down, so regular bathing or showers keep its plumage clean. Supply safe wood for chewing to keep its strong beak busy.32
Home where they are happiest
A very large, sturdy, securely welded cage with strong locks, plus a play stand or aviary. LafeberVet gives cockatoo bar spacing of 1.3-1.9 cm and perches 1.9-5 cm across.3
Food basics what goes in the bowl
Wild birds forage on grasses, sprouting grain, seeds, roots, nuts, fruit, flowers and insect larvae. For pets, feed a quality pellet or formulated diet with fresh vegetables, some fruit and nuts, rather than seed alone.13
Company who they like around
Highly social. Wild flocks can number up to about 2,000 birds, and a pet needs plenty of daily company and interaction.12
The story where it all began
This is the classic white cockatoo of eastern Australia and New Guinea, split into several regional subspecies. It has long been kept by people, and some famous birds have lived for around a century. In Sydney, wild flocks have become known for learning new tricks from each other, which scientists have studied as a kind of bird culture.21
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
Wild cockatoos in Sydney learned to lift the lids of wheelie bins to find food, and the trick spread between birds by copying.2
- 2
While a flock feeds, one bird perches high up and keeps watch for danger.1
- 3
Snowball, a sulphur-crested cockatoo, became famous for dancing in time to music and was recorded using 14 different dance moves.2
- 4
Some individuals, such as Cocky Bennett and Fred, are reported to have reached around 100 years of age.2
Recognised by the official bits
- IUCN Red List
- Least Concern.1
- CITES
- Appendix II.1
- Taxonomy
- Five subspecies recognised by World Parrot Trust, differing in crest width, eye-ring colour and bill shape.1
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- Fresh food and waterevery day
- Cage linerevery day
- Full cleanevery week
- Bath offerevery 3 days
- Nails checkevery month
- Beak checkevery month
- EnrichmentPuzzles and foraging every dayevery day
- Out-of-cage timeAbout 3 hours a dayevery day
- Vet check-upevery year
Owner questions the things everyone asks
How often should I feed my Sulphur-crested Cockatoo?
Feed your cockatoo fresh food and water every day. Furry Diary's starting plan suggests daily fresh food and water, and a vet can help you set the right amounts based on the food label.13 Furry Diary plan
What does a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo eat, and what should it never eat?
A quality pellet or formulated diet with fresh vegetables, some fruit and nuts is best, rather than seed alone. Avoid giving any foods that are toxic to birds, like avocado or chocolate; ask your vet for a full list of unsafe items.13
How much space does a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo need?
It needs a very large, sturdy, securely welded cage with strong locks, plus a play stand or aviary. Bar spacing should be 1.3-1.9 cm and perches 1.9-5 cm across, as per LafeberVet.3
What temperature, light or water does a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo need?
Keep your cockatoo in a warm, draft-free room with natural daylight cycles. Provide fresh water daily for drinking and bathing, but specific temperature and lighting needs vary; consult your exotic-pet vet. Furry Diary plan
How often should I clean a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo's home?
Change the cage liner every day and do a full cage clean once a week. Furry Diary's plan also suggests offering a bath every three days to help with powder down. Furry Diary plan
Can a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo live with others?
Yes, they are highly social and wild flocks can number up to about 2,000 birds. A pet needs plenty of daily company and interaction, but introductions to other birds should be done carefully with a vet's advice.12
How long does a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo live?
They can live between 20 and 70 years, so owning one is a long-term commitment. This varies with care, diet and genetics.213
Can I handle a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo?
Yes, they are bold and sociable birds that thrive on interaction, but they need experienced handling. Furry Diary suggests about three hours of out-of-cage time daily, and always supervise handling to prevent bites.21 Furry Diary plan
Written from the sources on this page, a few checked guides (VCA, ASPCA, RSPCA) and Furry Diary's own starting care plan. A friendly guide, not a vet's advice.
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at support@furrydiary.app and we will fix it.
- Sulphur-crested Cockatoo - World Parrot Trust Parrot Encyclopedia parrots.orgused for names, size, weight, range, habitat, subspecies, diet, behaviour, status, lifespan
- Sulphur-crested cockatoo - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for length, lifespan, description, behaviour, dancing, bin-opening, notable birds
- Basic Information Sheet: Cockatoo - LafeberVet lafeber.comused for weight, lifespan, bar spacing, perch size, bathing, diet basics
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Feeding times and frequency for your dog vcahospitals.comused for owner questions
- ASPCA: Dog grooming tips aspca.orgused for owner questions
- ASPCA: Cat grooming tips aspca.orgused for owner questions
- ASPCA: People foods to avoid feeding your pets aspca.orgused for owner questions
- RSPCA: What to feed your rabbit rspca.org.ukused for owner questions
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.