Sulphur-crested Cockatoo


The Sulphur-crested Cockatoo comes mainly from Australia. The nominate sub-species has a slight yellow blush to the cheek and a very pale blue or white eye-ring.

Male and female have similar plumage. They are common in urban and rural eastern Australia (the two above in a Sydney park).

Shown above is the Triton sub-species, Cacatua galerita triton, which comes from New Guinea and adjacent islands. It has a stronger pale blue eye-ring. The nominate Australian Sulphur-crested is larger, some 55 cm length. The Triton is some 45 cm length.


Triton Cockatoo

Triton Cockatoo with crest raised	Nominate Sulphur-crested Cockatoos in downtown Sydney

Nominate Sulphur-crested with pale lemon crest raised		The pale yellow underwing and under-tail


The Yellow-crested Cockatoo confusingly has the scientific name Cacatua sulphurea, although it is also called the Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. It comes from Indonesia and East Timor. It is smaller than the Sulphur-crested at 35 cm length and has a slightly darker yellow crest and yellow patches on its white cheeks. Male and female have similar plumage.


This is the nominate sub-species. One of the other sub-species (not shown here) is called the Citron-crested (Cacatua sulphurea citrinocristata) but actually has an orange crest.

The "Two-horned Goat Cockatoo"!