Pet Birds - Cockatoos

Cockatoos
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Psittaciformes Family: Cacatuidae
Genera
Probosciger Calyptorhynchus Callocephalon Eolophus Cacatua Nymphicus

A cockatoo is any of about 20 species of bird belonging to the family Cacatuidae. Along with the Psittacidae family ("true" parrots), they make up the order Psittaciformes (all parrots). The name cockatoo originated from the Malay language 'kakaktua' meaning 'older sister' ('kakak' - sister and 'tua' - old).

Cockatoos share many features with other parrots including the characteristic curved beak shape and a zygodactyl foot (two toes forward and two toes back). They differ however in a number of anatomical characteristics, including the often spectacular movable headcrest, and their lack of the Dyck texture feather composition which gives many parrots their iridescent colours. Cockatoo species are on average larger than other parrot species. The Cockatiel though is a small cockatoo and the very biggest parrots are not cockatoos, the Hyacinth Macaw being the longest and the Kakapo the heaviest.

Cockatoos as a family have a much more restricted range than the larger parrot group, occurring naturally only in Australia and nearby islands.

ORDER PSITTACIFORMES