Goffin cockatoo Goffin cockatoo
Goffin's Cockatoo

Scientific Classification

Common Name
Goffin's cockatoo, Tanimbar corella
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Psittaciformes
Family
Cacatuidae
Genus Species
Cacatua (referring to the bird's call) goffiniana

Fast Facts

Description
The Goffin's cockatoo is a large white parrot with white skin around eye and a grayish-white beak. The lores and base of the head feathers are salmon pink. The iris of the male's eye is black and the female's iris is brown.
Size
Approximately 39 cm (12.5 in.)
Weight
Approximately 0.45 kg (1 lbs.)
Diet
Feeds on seeds, nuts, fruits, berries, and some insects
Incubation
Approximately 30 days
Clutch Size
2 to 6 eggs
Sexual Maturity
Approximately 2 to 3 years
Life Span
65 or more years
Range
The Goffin’s Cockatoo is restricted to the Banda Sea Islands of Yamdena and Larat (Tanimbar) in Indonesia.
Habitat
This species inhabits forest and agricultural land, feeding on crop plants and roosting in the forest.
Population
The global population has been estimated to number from 100,000 to 499,999. The population appears to be declining but is not severely fragmented.
Status 
IUCN: Near Threatened
CITES: Appendix I
USFWS: Lower Risk/Near Threatened

Fun Facts

Both parents take part in incubating the eggs.

Cockatoos can mimic the sounds of other animals, including people.

Cockatoos can hold their food in one foot and break pieces off of it with the other foot.

Cockatoos live in small loose flocks.

They birds are very gregarious and emit a shrill cry.


Ecology and Conservation

Cockatoos are a food source for many predators.

Their feeding habits are very destructive to crops and are considered a nuisance by farmers. In fact, licensed culling is permitted in certain states.

Cockatoos aid in seed dispersal by eating fruit and dropping the seeds.

The Goffin's Cockatoo is very popular in the pet trade and is considered to be an exceptionally easy bird to tame. They are generally very affectionate towards humans and have lively personalities.

Deforestation and habitat destruction is also a major threat to these birds.

The U.S. Wild Bird Act forbids the commercial import of any bird listed by CITES which includes most parrots.


Bibliography

Austin, G. Birds of the World. New York. Golden Press, Inc., 1961.

Decoten, A.E. Handbook of Cockatoos. Neptune City, NJ. T.F.H. Pub., 1981.

Diefenbach, K. The World of Cockatoos. Neptune City. NJ. T.F.H. Publications, 1985.

Forshaw, J.M. Parrots of the World. Neptune City, NJ. T.F.H. Publications, 1977.

Gotch, A.F. Birds - Their Latin Names Explained. UK. Blandford Books Ltd., 1981.

birdlife.org/datazone/search/species_search.html

BirdLife International. 2018. Cacatua goffiniana. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T22684800A131915554. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22684800A131915554.en. Downloaded on 04 March 2019.

Photo Credit: Goffin’s Cockatoo on a perch. Source: Wikimedia Commons. Image by: Bizie. Year Created: 26 February 2006. Website: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_Goffin%27s_Cockatoo_on_a_perch.jpg. License: CC by SA 3.0 unported.