The Palm Cockatoo

The Palm Cockatoo or goliath cockatoo is a very large bird in the cockatoo family.
The natural range of the palm cockatoo is in the Indonesia, New Guinea, Northern Australia areas. At this time the palm cockatoo is not endangered but is hunted for its value in pet stores and there is some destruction of its natural habitat in Australia.

Palm Cockatoo Characteristics

• The palm cockatoo, as can be seen in the photo, is black in color with a large backward flowing crest and bright red patch on the face between the eye and bill. Its worth noting that the color of the red patch can change with the health of the bird or level of stress.
• The palm cockatoo size can range from 22-24 inches and 2-2.5 pounds.
• The bird has a wide range of whistles and calls.
• A unique characteristic of the palm cockatoo is that it uses tools. In this sense, the bird will take a stick and drum it against other wood creating a fairly loud sound. It is a very unique trait of the bird.
• The bird builds its nest in hollow trees. Because of its size the palm cockatoo needs a large hollow in a tree, which in many instances is also desirable to various other creatures such as snakes, bees, and other tree dwelling animals.
• Palm cockatoos can live 40 – 50 years and have been rumored to live as long as 80 years.

Palm Cockatoo Diet

The Palm Cockatoo primarily eats seeds, nuts, fruits, and berries from the trees it occupies. It mainly eats in the trees rather than gathering them off the ground. The birds bill provides it with a very strong tool to open the shells of many of the seeds, and nuts in its diet.

As a pet the the Palm Cockatoo is not well suited because of its size and unique diet.