Citron-crested Cockatoo

Citron-crested Cockatoo
Conservation status
Critically Endangered (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Psittaciformes
Family:	Cacatuidae
Subfamily:	Cacatuinae
Genus:	Cacatua
Subgenus:	Cacatua
Species:	C. sulphurea
Subspecies:	C. s. citrinocristata
Trinomial name
Cacatua sulphurea citrinocristata Fraser, 1844

The Citron-crested Cockatoo, Cacatua sulphurea citrinocristata is a medium-sized cockatoo with an orange crest, dark grey beak, pale orange ear patches, and strong feet and claws. The underside of the larger wing and tail feathers have a pale yellow colour. The eye colour ranges from brown through very dark brown to black. Both sexes are similar.

The smallest of the Yellow-crested Cockatoo subspecies, it is endemic to Sumba in the Lesser Sunda Islands in Indonesia. The diet consists mainly of seeds, buds, fruits, nuts and herbaceous plants.

Conservation status

The Citron-crested Cockatoo is critically endangered. Its numbers in the wild have declined due to habitat loss and illegal trapping for the cage-bird trade. A 1993 survey of Sumba estimated the species' numbers at less than 2,000 individuals.[1] Together with the other subspecies of the Yellow-crested Cockatoo, it is listed in appendix I of the CITES list.[2] Consequently, international trade is strongly regulated and trade in wild caught Citron-crested Cockatoos is illegal.

Aviculture

Chick at Děčín Zoo, Czech Republic

Being friendly and sociable, hand-reared Citron-crested Cockatoos can make good pets. They are not as noisy as most cockatoos, but are curious and like to chew. They are generally quiet, but they can make a loud honking or screeching sound, which is lower in pitch than the calls of most parrots. They can also make a repetitive quieter whistling or squeaking noise. They are not as good at imitating human speech as some members of the parrot family, although they readily learn behaviors and they can be trained. They often raise the coloured crest feathers in display, when surprised, or to show interest or excitement. Their droppings are semi-solid and can be messy. As with many cockatoo species, Citron-crested Cockatoos taken as pets need much greater care and attention than other companion parrots. In personality, they are often more shy or nervous than other cockatoos and should be allowed to adjust to new circumstances gradually in order to become comfortable.

They are not commonly seen in pet stores, but are becoming more popular with breeders.

References

1. Cahill, A. J., Walker, J. S. & Marsden, S. J. (2006). Recovery within a population of the Critically Endangered citron-crested cockatoo Cacatua sulphurea citrinocristata in Indonesia after 10 years of international trade control.

2. CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA, Thirteenth Meeting of the Conferences of the Parties Bangkok, Thailand, 3 to 14 October 2004. http://www.cites.org/common/cop/13/raw_props/ID-Cacatua.pdf

External links

• Royal Society for the Protection of Birds website - threats to wild bird populations