Skip to main content

Photo: J. Patrick Fischer / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Critically Endangered

Yellow-crested Cockatoo

Cacatua sulphurea

Yellow-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea) — Parrots & Cockatoos of Australia & Oceania.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

See what's near you right now

The Yellow-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea) is a member of the Cacatuidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 303 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Critically Endangered.

CR Critically Endangered

Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Psittaciformes
  3. Family Cacatuidae Cockatoos
  4. Genus Cacatua
  5. Species sulphurea

Where it lives

Sulawesi region and Lesser Sundas

Quick facts

Weight
303 g
Family
Cacatuidae
Habitat
Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Yellow-crested Cockatoo is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.

Behaviour

A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.

Migration

The Yellow-crested Cockatoo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Yellow-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea) is a species of bird in the Cacatuidae family, part of the order Psittaciformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Sulawesi region and Lesser Sundas.

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 303 g, with a wing length of about 22.1 cm and a tail of around 10 cm.

It is classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Critically Endangered is the highest risk category before extinction in the wild.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 258,000 km².

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Yellow-crested Cockatoo?

The Yellow-crested Cockatoo is a large bird that weighs around 303 g.

Where does the Yellow-crested Cockatoo live?

The Yellow-crested Cockatoo is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Sulawesi region and Lesser Sundas, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.

What family does the Yellow-crested Cockatoo belong to?

The Yellow-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea) belongs to the Cacatuidae family, in the order Psittaciformes.

What does the Yellow-crested Cockatoo eat?

The Yellow-crested Cockatoo is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.

Does the Yellow-crested Cockatoo migrate?

The Yellow-crested Cockatoo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Yellow-crested Cockatoo endangered?

It is classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Critically Endangered is the highest risk category before extinction in the wild.

How large is the Yellow-crested Cockatoo's range?

The Yellow-crested Cockatoo has a mapped global range of about 258,000 km².

Conservation

Critically Endangered

Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.

How to help birds

Explore more birds

More in Cacatuidae

More in Parrots

Back to top