Family Cacatuidae

 

Visitors to Canberra often express surprise and delight on Canberra's cockatoos and parrots being such a visible and audible feature of the bird life of the national capital.

Galah in flight

 

These two families of birds have powerful curved bills which can be used for many purposes, including (according to species): opening tough seed capsules of eucalypts and casuarinas; manipulating seeds, fruit and insects; digging; and tearing wood and other hard objects. They have short muscular legs, and feet with two toes forward and two back, very suitable for climbing and grasping. Most nest in tree hollows.

They mainly eat seeds, but many are also attracted to the fruit of trees such as apples, plums, cherries, and the seeds of hawthorn, firethorn and cotoneaster. Many eat the seeds of native and exotic conifers. Lorikeets, which are uncommon in Canberra, are mainly nectar feeders. Cockatoos and parrots are attracted to suburban gardens if food is provided. This may have led to population increases of several species. They are fairly sociable, sometimes gathering in large flocks.

Cockatoos are large birds with distinctive plumage and mobile crests. Their loud, often raucous calls are soon recognised. Sulphur-crested and Gang-gang Cockatoos are the most common in Canberra, while there have been occasional recordings in the Garden Bird Survey of many other species, including Cockatiel (30), Long-billed Corella (5), Glossy Black-Cockatoo (3) and Major Mitchell's Cockatoo (1). Canberra is included within the range of the Glossy Black-Cockatoo, which are occasionally sighted on the slopes of Mount Ainslie, but is well outside the range of the others in this list.

Parrots Australian King-parrot Crimson Rosella Eastern Rosella Red-rumped Parrot Budgerigar Superb Parrot Rainbow Lorikeet

Family Psittacidae

 

Most parrots seen in Canberra are brightly coloured birds, the most common being the Crimson Rosella and Eastern Rosella, as well as the Australian King-Parrot in the cooler months. Rainbow Lorikeets are also observed from time to time.

Other native species seen here occasionally include Little Lorikeet (16), Port Lincoln Ringneck (12), Mallee Ringneck (2), Musk Lorikeet (4), Yellow Rosella (3), Scaly-breasted Lorikeet (3), Swift Parrot (2), Red-capped Parrot (2), Purple-crowned Lorikeet (1), Regent Parrot (1) and Turquoise Parrot (1).