These are often cleared for development or destroyed by fires. Loss of habitat is a growing concern for the Palm Cockatoo as well as many other cockatoos. Their breeding success is considered very low but is somewhat offset by their long life span. ![]() Parents care for chicks for many months after they hatch. These birds lay only one egg every two years which means their numbers increase very slowly. The Palm cockatoo is unique in that it is the only cockatoo that it uses branches to build a platform in its nest. It is unknown exactly how long they live in the wild but it’s estimated to be an average of forty years. The oldest confirmed age of a Palm Cockatoo in a zoo is fifty-six though stories are told of one living to a much older age of eighty. This allows it to hold nuts against the upper part of the beak with its tongue while the bottom part of the beak breaks it open. Unlike most other cockatoos, the upper and lower mandibles of the beak do not meet. The large beak of the palm cockatoo is used to break open many types of nuts and seeds. ![]() Usually only two to six are seen feeding together. The male then breaks the stick apart and uses it as nesting material. This makes the palm cockatoo one of the few birds known to use tools. Another theory is that the female listens for the sound of the drumming on the tree and thus decides if the tree is suitable for nesting. One reason for the drumming could be to mark the territory and thus discourage other birds from attempting to nest in that tree. One unique behavior of this bird is that the male will take a stick and use it as a drum on a tree before nesting in the tree. The palm cockatoo makes a variety of calls some of which sound like human syllables. The beak of the male is larger than the female. It has a large crest and one of the largest beaks of any cockatoo. It is one of the largest cockatoo species in Australia the only rivals being the yellow-tailed black cockatoo and the sulphur-crested cockatoo which are equal in size. When full grown they are around twenty-three inches long and weigh about two and a half pounds. Its plumage is mostly black but can also be a dark gray. The red will become more apparent when the male is threatened. Logging and seasonal fires destroy significant numbers of their nest trees each year.The palm cockatoo has a large black beak and patches of red on its cheeks. They are considered to be near threatened in the wild. Palm cockatoos were listed as CITES Appendix II in 1975 and were moved to Appendix I in 1987. Status: They are listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. They require large trees for nesting and roosting. They are the only cockatoo species adapted to tropical rainforest habitat. Habitat/range: Probosciger aterrimus is found only on the Cape York Peninsula of northern Australia, the Aru Islands, Papua New Guinea and other surrounding smaller islands. Parents share the incubation of the egg, which lasts approximately 30 days. ![]() The same nest is often used by the pair each year. Breeding normally occurs during October, November and December (spring to early summer). Reproduction: Palm cockatoos build their nests in the hollows of trees. Each of the calls allows them to stay in contact with or to locate one another. They also have whistles, grunts and cries. They make a harsh screeching call when they feel threatened and they will call to one another as the sun rises. Much time is spent preening or interacting.ĭiet: They feed on fruit, nuts, berries, seeds and buds of leaves.Ĭommunication: Palm cockatoos have several different calls. One bird stands guard to alert the groups of a predator or danger approaches. Their wingspans are between 27.5-39 inches (70-100 cm).īehavior: Probosciger aterrimus are very social birds, usually seen in pairs, small groups, but often feeding in large groups. Size: Palm cockatoos are large birds, standing 19- 27 inches (49-68 cm) and weighing between one to two pounds (0.45 -0.9 kg). The color ranges from off-white to burgundy, depending on stress level and/or general health. A red, naked facial marking is located just to the sides of the beak. The legs are grayish-black with some feathers on the thighs. The feathers have a powder down, which dulls the beak and adds a gray color to the black plumage. They have a backward curving erectile crest and a massive upper mandible (top portion of the beak) that is larger in males than in females. Description: Palm cockatoos are the only cockatoo with all dark feathers.
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