Palm Cockatoo

The palm cockatoo is the world’s largest cockatoo. Its distinctive cheek patch of bare skin flushes from pink to bright red when the bird is alarmed or excited.

This attention seeker produces a variety of whistles, screeches and feet stomping. A male dance to attract a female. He erects his crests, bobs his head, spins around and raises his wings. An interested female will mirror his moves.

The palm cockatoo has a massive bill that enables it to crack very hard nuts. When a female appears, a male makes a show of breaking off a thick branch and shaping it with his bill into a pencil-sized drumstick.

Grasping the tool with his foot, he bangs it against a tree hollow while whistling. Drumming serves as territorial marking and helps the female assess the suitability of the nesting cavity.