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Hello,

Does anyone know of a good website that discusses the differences between the different sulphur crested cockatoo species? Or can any provide a description on identifying the different species?

Thank you so much!
Ralph

This should help: viewtopic.php?p=28478&highlight=#28478

Paca

Thanks Paca,

I was actually trying to look for differences between the different Cacatua galerita subspecies, mainly, C. galerita galerita, C. galerita triton and C. galerita eleonora.

Ralph

Gene at BG Aviaries might be able and willing to help you: viewtopic.php?t=14645&highlight=triton

Also, Robert Pavlis will probably spot your query soon and have some good information.

Paca

Again, thank you so much Paca. I should have done a search before asking.

Ralph

An extension to my original question would be, is there any information out there on identifying hybrids between the subspecies?

Thanks
Ralph

It is often very difficult to tell the subspecies apart. Not least of the problems is the fact that the original subspecies were assigned by difference in appearance, rather than more fundamental genetic differences.

("Cacatua alba" the so called U2, Great White, etc. never seems to be listed as having subspecies, yet there are dramatically different strains of this species, because it is found in more than one island. However, because there are no colour differences they all get lumped together. Anyone who has seen many of these birds generally will agree that there at least two rather different types, which are very much deserving subspecies status.)

Various books and ornathology references on this subject will tell you the following:

As to "C. sulphurea" C. s. sulphurea is the subspecies that comes from Celebres.

C. s. djampeana is the subspecies found on Alor, and several other islands including the Tukangbesi Islands. It has a smaller beak than the "nominate species."

C. s. occadentalis is found in Sumbawa and Flores and nearby islands. The ear coverts are very pale yellow, there is in general less yellow than other subspecies.

C. s. abbotti is the species from Solombo Besar Island. It is similar to C. s.occidentalis, but larger.

C. s. parvula is also similar to C. s. occadentalis, but has a smaller beak. These come from Timor and Samao islands.


FINALLY

C. s. citrinocristata comes from Sumba. It, unlike the others is easy to differentiate. Instead of yellow in the other subspecies, it is orange.


Except for C. s. citrinocristgata, sometimes called the citron cockatoo the differences are rather subtle, and because of that it is very difficult to spot hybrids.

Note, however, that the subspecies from the smaller islands are very very rare, so the chances favour unidentified birds being one of the subspecies from larger islands.

There seem to be three groups of subspecies: Those with fairly bright yellow crests, etc, those with pale ones, and the one subspecies with orange ones.

From the statements above you can have a good chance of correct identification. However, hybridisation introduces a factor that may make it impossible to identify a given bird except by a major DNA study!

1. The true galerita is a large chunky bird, compared to the others, and are true Australians.
2. I do not know of the distinction for "fitzroyi", which is an Australian.
3. There is discussion that the tritons are a distinct subspecies, or possibly a distinct species. In their native habitat, they live in proximity to the eleanoras, but do not seem to have much interest in each other. They are very acrobatic with distinct bobbing movements and tail fanning, and have a distinct whistle. Compared to the galeritas, tritons are leaner and have a longer tail and a shorter body. (We had a fully flighted tame female for about 20 years.)
4. Eleanoras sort of look like larger/longer lesser sulphurs, but without the yellow cheek patches.

alhee wrote:1. The true galerita is a large chunky bird, compared to the others, and are true Australians.
2. I do not know of the distinction for "fitzroyi", which is an Australian.
3. There is discussion that the tritons are a distinct subspecies, or possibly a distinct species. In their native habitat, they live in proximity to the eleanoras, but do not seem to have much interest in each other. They are very acrobatic with distinct bobbing movements and tail fanning, and have a distinct whistle. Compared to the galeritas, tritons are leaner and have a longer tail and a shorter body. (We had a fully flighted tame female for about 20 years.)
4. Eleanoras sort of look like larger/longer lesser sulphurs, but without the yellow cheek patches.

Thanks Alhee,

I had a galerita galerita years ago that i got from ABRC in 1994. I had to sell her several years ago.

I have not had very much experience with Tritons, but the few that I have seen have always seemed much more clownish and acrobatic than Lola, my galerita galerita. Lola was a much calmer bird, but i don't know if it's indicative of the species or just her personality.

I have to say though, the tritons that I have met have always fascinated me with their personalities.

Thanks
Ralph

In the early 1980's, before the bird publications started refusing pet-shop ads on hybrids, there were a lot of "Molu-brellas" and "El-trons" (Eleanora/Tritons, and eleanora/citrons) being offered, and we owned an Umbrella/citron hen. I suppose that Umbrella hens were easier to identify and nested more readily. Eleanoras were more available than tritons. Tritons were more available than the true galeritias. Again, this was the 1980's, and times and practices have changed, and I am not about to argue anything about this.

Anyway, the tritons have a bluish eye-ring. The ones that I have seen are a lot more animated than the eleanoras, and I think that the crests are more impressive. The eleanoras look a bit more "ghostly white " both in feathering and eye-ring. Just in comparison with the triton that we had, I suspected that many of the large sulphurs that we saw were eleanora hybrids.

I saw an "opthalmica" (blue-eyed) many years ago, and I believe that this is a distinct species, and NOT a galerita subspecies. These birds have a distinctly blue eye-ring, a backward crest (like the Moluccans), and their own habitat away from the other galeritas.

Al Hee
How in the world are you...I don't think I've seen a post from you in a gazillion years, if you are the same Al Hee that used to post here.
I think you taught school in Hawaii.....please catch us up on your flock....

alhee wrote:I saw an "opthalmica" (blue-eyed) many years ago, and I believe that this is a distinct species, and NOT a galerita subspecies. These birds have a distinctly blue eye-ring, a backward crest (like the Moluccans), and their own habitat away from the other galeritas.

.

Cacatua opthalmica is a distinct species, like you said, they look like a white Moluccan with a blue eye-ring. Unfortunately, very rare in the US, with about 15 birds total. There is a consortium that is supposed to bring some in, but i'm not sure if they have actually brought the birds in yet or not.

I misread the first post, I thought the question was about the lesser sulphur crested group. The greaters are far more distinct, and MUCH less of a problem to distinguish. Others have said most that needs be said on that subject.

rrp

Hi, Cyndie ! Thanks for remembering me.
Yes, it's been at least 6 years, and quite possibly my last previous post was in mid 1997 when we still had live chat ! I just came back on this year. Take a look at my age, and you can expect that there has been a lot of looking after the older folks in the family as well as those my age who did not have good health, as well as looking after the kids we raised as well as THEIR kids !
But let's talk about 'toos !
2 years ago, the first lesser hen that was born with us in 1990 laid fertile eggs in her nest box, that hatched under our toy pigeons, so she was 15.
We hatched out 4 babies (3 clutches of eggs) and 2 survived. She had been laying on the wire for about 3 years previously...so she was about 12 when she started laying. This appears to be a norm, rather than the 5 years or so, in current literature. A year ago, she raised her own baby, that I pulled to handfeed at 2 weeks. They are currently nesting again. The male is a wild-caught from the late 1960's ! We bought him in 1988, and he had a bad habit of rushing into the nest and scrambling the eggs that our first hen laid (the young hen's mother). Luckily, we had also bought a tame male that turned out to be a good (but very bad-tempered ) breeder.
The "old" pair died 2 years ago. The old hen was also a 1960-ish wild-caught.
Previously, the old spare male DID hatch out 2 baby chickens. I had given the pair chicken eggs, after the 'too eggs had been scrambled.
It appears that the price of baby lessers have stayed around the $1200 - $1500 range, as the older breeding birds are dying out, and not many older hand-fed birds have become established breeders. Also, lessers are the perfect size for pets, and not loud and demanding.
The goffin's are doing well, but have not reproduced lately because we moved from the farm to the family home (with a large backyard) as well as a lot of other changes.
And that's about it, except that my teaching duties are keeping me very busy also.

It has been awhile..a lot of people don't even remember the real time chat.
Sounds like your family...feathered and not is doing well. I'll bet those babies were too cute. My cockatoo family now consists of
4 umbrellas, 1 lesser, 1 eleanora, 1 bare eyed, 1 goffins....I did lose my Millie Moluccan about 5 years ago. I stay in touch with a few people from the "old" days..I haven't heard from Ian, in Australia in over a year...I miss his wonderful stories.
I'm still playing respiratory therapist...but at an orthopaedic hospital instead of the trauma bay....Glad to see you back..