Completed
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Cacatua galerita
Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPsittaciformes (Parrots)
- FamilyPsittacidae (New World and African Parrots)
- GenusCacatua (White Cockatoos and Corellas)
- SpeciesCacatua galerita (Sulphur-crested Cockatoo)
In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%
16,844 Verified sightings at Melbourne
17,997 In all 18 parks From 2019 to 2026
August Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted
Completed
About the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
The sulphur-crested cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) is a relatively large white cockatoo found in wooded habitats in Australia, New Guinea, and some of the islands of Indonesia. They can be locally very numerous, leading to them sometimes being considered pests. As highly intelligent birds, they are well known in aviculture, although they can be demanding pets.
The four recognised subspecies are: A 2024 genetic study found that the Triton cockatoo is genetically distinct from the two Australian forms of sulphur-crested cockatoos, so should be considered a separate species, Cacatua triton.
The species is native to large parts of Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. Within Australia, sulphur-crested cockatoos of the nominate race have also been introduced to Perth, which is far outside their natural range. Outside Australia, they have been introduced to Singapore, where their numbers have been estimated to be between 500 and 2000. They have also been introduced to Palau and New Zealand. In New Zealand, the introduced populations may number fewer than 1000. This species has also been recorded as established in Hawaii and from various islands in Wallacea... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Sulphur-crested Cockatoo in Melbourne
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Grampians National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Great Otway National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Kakadu National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Nitmiluk National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 7 | Hattah-Kulkyne National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 8 | Litchfield National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 9 | Daintree National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 10 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 11 | Raja Ampat | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 12 | Kosciuszko National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 13 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 14 | Wilsons Promontory National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 15 | Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 16 | Booderee National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 17 | Flinders Chase | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 18 | Noosa National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Zoos & Centres Where Found
Closest Relatives at Melbourne
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo in Melbourne?
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo sighting in Melbourne on a given day, based on 16,844 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 22nd most-seen of the 236 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo in Melbourne?
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo in Melbourne on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
What time of day is best to see a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo?
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Sulphur-crested Cockatoo sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Is Melbourne the best place to see a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo?
3rd of 7
Of the 7 cities where we can rate Sulphur-crested Cockatoo sightings, Melbourne ranks 3rd at about 40%. The best odds are in Sydney (Australia, about 60%) and Hobart (Australia, about 40%).
Which relatives of the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo live in Melbourne?
Same genus: Cacatua
The closest relatives of the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo that you can see in Melbourne (genus Cacatua, White Cockatoos and Corellas) are Little Corella (about 20%) and Long-billed Corella (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
Where does the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo is recorded against all the birds logged in Melbourne (16,844 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
