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 ~60% in a week ~90%
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 Lamington National Park
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 Lamington National Park
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo in Lamington National Park?
Possible
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo sighting in Lamington National Park on a given day, based on 847 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 37th most-seen of the 171 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo in Lamington National Park?
February
In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo in Lamington National Park on a given day, against about 10% in April, the lowest month. That is one of Lamington National Park's wettest months, with about 160 mm of rain against 40 mm in August.
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 Lamington National Park the best place to see a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo?
13th of 18
Of the 18 parks where we can rate Sulphur-crested Cockatoo sightings, Lamington National Park ranks 13th at about 30%. The best odds are in Blue Mountains National Park (Australia, about 80%), Royal National Park (Australia, about 80%) and Grampians National Park (Australia, about 70%). All parks ranked.
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 Lamington National Park (847 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
