Yellow-crested Cockatoo Cacatua sulphurea Scientific name definitions
Revision Notes
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Species names in all available languages
Language | Common name |
---|---|
Afrikaans | Geelkuifkaketoe |
Catalan | cacatua sulfúria |
Chinese (Hong Kong SAR China) | 小葵花鳳頭鸚鵡 |
Chinese (SIM) | 小葵花凤头鹦鹉 |
Croatian | žutouhi kakadu |
Czech | kakadu žlutolící |
Dutch | Kleine geelkuifkaketoe |
English | Yellow-crested Cockatoo |
English (United States) | Yellow-crested Cockatoo |
Finnish | celebesinkakadu |
French | Cacatoès soufré |
French (Canada) | Cacatoès soufré |
German | Gelbwangenkakadu |
Icelandic | Gullkakadúi |
Indonesian | Kakatua jambul-kuning |
Japanese | コバタン |
Norwegian | gyllentoppkakadu |
Polish | kakadu żółtolica |
Portuguese (Portugal) | Catatua-de-crista-amarela |
Russian | Малый желтохохлый какаду |
Serbian | Žutoćubi kakadu |
Slovak | kakadu žltochochlatý |
Spanish | Cacatúa Sulfúrea |
Spanish (Spain) | Cacatúa sulfúrea |
Swedish | mindre gultofskakadua |
Turkish | Küçük Sülfür Kakadusu |
Ukrainian | Какаду короткочубий |
Revision Notes
Guy M. Kirwan revised the Measurements and Systematics sections. Roselvy Juarez standardized the content with Clements taxonomy.
Cacatua sulphurea (Gmelin, 1788)
Definitions
- CACATUA
- sulphurea
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
Field Identification
ca. 33 cm; 350 g. White cockatoo with long, forward-curving yellow crest feathers, yellow ear coverts, and yellow undersurfaces of wings and tail; bill black; feet gray; eye black in male, red-brown in female; bare periophthalmic skin pale blue. Immature similar to adult, but iris pale gray.
Similar Species
Linear Measurements
Overall length ca. 33 cm (1).
Linear measurements (means and standard deviation, with sample sizes in parentheses), from Collar and Marsden (2).
Wing length | Tail length | Bill length | Crest length | Ear patch size | |
Males | |||||
C. s. sulphurea | 225 ± 6.43 (n = 20) | 113 ± 2.38 (n = 21) | 38.3 ± 1.81 (n = 19) | 101 ± 4.07 (n = 20) | 29.8 ± 3.01 (n = 20) |
C. s. abbotti | 263 ± 5.82 (n = 6) | 138 ± 6.62 (n = 6) | 35.1 ± 1.21 (n = 6) | 123 ± 4.8 (n = 5) | 20.5 ± 4.14 (n = 4) |
C. s. occidentalis | 220 ± 5.13 (n = 15) | 110 ± 5.13 (n = 14) | 36.9 ± 0.76 (n = 13) | 94.3 ± 5.42 (n = 15) | 23.7 ± (n = 15) |
C. s. parvula | 223 ± 5.5 (n = 4) | 121 ± 5.03 (n = 4) | 33.5 ± 1.94 (n = 4) | 101 ± 6.61 (n = 4) | 20.1 ± 0.63 (n = 4) |
C. s. djampeana | 220 ± 7.34 (n = 6) | 111 ± 4.4 (n = 6) | 34.1 ± 1.3 (n = 6) | 92.5 ± 3.77 (n = 5) | 26.6 ± 2.38 (n = 5) |
C. s. paulandrewi | 221 (n = 3) | 112 (n = 3) | 33.2 (n = 3) | 95.5 (n = 2) | 24.0 (n = 2) |
Females | |||||
C. s. sulphurea | 221 ± 6.54 (n = 32) | 112 ± 2.1 (n = 32) | 35.6 ± 1.79 (n = 30) | 98.7 ± 4.55 (n = 31) | 28.8 ± 3.07 (n = 28) |
C. s. abbotti | 260 (n = 2) | 146 (n = 2) | 33 (n = 2) | 117 (n = 2) | 15.5 (n = 2) |
C. s. occidentalis | 213 ± 7.75 (n = 15) | 109 ± 4.82 (n = 15) | 33.8 ± 1.82 (n = 14) | 93.2 ± 6.16 (n = 15) | 21 ± 2.3 (n = 13) |
C. s. parvula | 219 ± 4.42 (n = 7) | 120 ± 2.45 (n = 7) | 31.1 ± 0.66 (n = 7) | 97.4 ± 6.5 (n = 7) | 20.7 ± 1.7 (n = 7) |
C. s. djampeana | 213 ± 5.04 (n = 10) | 108 ± 4.11 (n = 10) | 30.9 ± 1.66 (n = 10) | 90.1 ± 6.4 (n = 10) | 23.8 ± 2.67 (n = 9) |
C. s. paulandrewi | 213 (n = 3) | 109 (n = 3) | 29.3 (n = 3) | 90.7 (n = 3) | 20.0 (n = 2) |
Mass
350 g (1).
Systematics History
Yellow-crested Cockatoo has often been considered conspecific with Citron-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua citrinocristata) (e.g., 3, 4, 5, 6), but is here split largely on the basis of its distinctive morphology (2, 7, 8, 9). Citron-crested Cockatoo differs from Yellow-crested Cockatoo in its long peachy-orange versus yellow crest, longer tail (2), and different juvenile bill coloration (10).
Geographic Variation
Populations are separated by differences in size (see Measurements), the intensity of yellow on the ear-coverts, and crest color (most recent and detailed review by 2).
Subspecies
Six subspecies currently recognized.
Cacatua sulphurea abbotti Scientific name definitions
Systematics History
Kakatoe parvulus abbotti Oberholser, 1917, Proceedings of the United States National Museum 54:181.—“Solombo Besar Island, Java Sea” [= Masalembu Island]. (11)
The holotype, an adult male collected on 4 December 1907 by William Louis Abbott (1860–1936), is held at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC (USNM 181453) (12).
Identification Summary
C. s. abbotti can be diagnosed from the other taxa by having the longest crest, wings and tail, a mid-sized bill (see Measurements), and at most a small (sometimes obsolete) and brownish ear-covert patch (2).
Cacatua sulphurea abbotti (Oberholser, 1917)
Definitions
- CACATUA
- sulphurea
- abbotti
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
Cacatua sulphurea sulphurea Scientific name definitions
Systematics History
Psittacus sulphureus J. F. Gmelin, 1788, Systema Naturae, 13th edition, Tome 1, p. 330.—Moluccas. (14)
Gmelin based his name on the prior indication of Brisson; very few of the latter’s bird specimens survive (15) and this species is not among them (16).
Synonym:
Cacatua aequatorialis Temminck, 1849, Coup-d’Oeil Général sur les Possessions Néerlandaises dans l’Inde Archipélagique, Volume 3, p. 405.—Celebes [= Sulawesi]. Known on the basis of two syntypes, both held in the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, and collected by Eltio Alegondas Forsten (1811–1843) at Tomini sometime between September 1841 and April 1842, an adult male (RMNH.AVES.87996) and an adult female (RMNH.AVES.87997) (17, 18).
Identification Summary
The nominate subspecies is characterized by having the largest bill (see Measurements), and consistently the largest and richest lemon-yellow ear-covert patch (2).
Cacatua sulphurea sulphurea (Gmelin, 1788)
Definitions
- CACATUA
- sulphurea
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
Cacatua sulphurea djampeana Scientific name definitions
Systematics History
Cacatua sulphurea djampeana E. Hartert, 1897, Novitates Zoologicae 4:164.—“Djampea” [= Tanah Jampea]. (19)
The lectotype, a female collected in December 1895 by Alfred Hart Everett (1848–1898), is held at the American Museum of Natural History, New York (AMNH 619652); designation by Hartert (20); there is also a paralectotype with the same data (AMNH 619653) (21).
This subspecies is sometimes subsumed into nominate sulphurea (5).
Distribution
Identification Summary
In size, C. s. djampeana is like C. s. occidentalis but has a smaller bill (see Measurements), as well as a consistently larger and mostly more colourful ear-covert patch (2).
Cacatua sulphurea djampeana Hartert, 1897
Definitions
- CACATUA
- sulphurea
- djampeae / djampeana / djampeanus
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
Cacatua sulphurea paulandrewi Scientific name definitions
Systematics History
Cacatua sulphurea paulandrewi Collar and Marsden, 2014, Forktail 30:26.—Wanci (Wangiwangi Island). (2)
The holotype, a male collected on 3 December 1901 by Heinrich Kühn (1862‒1906), is held at the American Museum of Natural History, New York (AMNH 619651) (2).
Identification Summary
Diagnosed from C. s. djampeana on the basis of its smaller bill and ear-covert patch (see Measurements), and by the latter’s paler coloration (2).
Cacatua sulphurea paulandrewi Collar & Marsden, 2014
Definitions
- CACATUA
- sulphurea
- paulandrewi
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
Cacatua sulphurea occidentalis Scientific name definitions
Systematics History
Cacatua parvula occidentalis E. Hartert, 1898, Novitates Zoologicae 5:120.—Lombok. (22)
The lectotype, a male collected in July 1896 by Alfred Hart Everett (1848–1898), is held at the American Museum of Natural History, New York (AMNH 619657); designation by Hartert (20); there are also five paralectotypes, three males (AMNH 619658‒619660) and two females (AMNH 619661 and AMNH 619662) collected between 1,000 and 5,000 ft. on Lombok by William Doherty (1857–1901) (21).
Subspecies occidentalis is sometimes subsumed into parvula (5).
Distribution
Identification Summary
C. s. occidentalis has a large bill, but short wings and tail (see Measurements), and a relatively small, usually pale to very pale lemon-yellow ear-covert patch (2).
Cacatua sulphurea occidentalis Hartert, 1898
Definitions
- CACATUA
- sulphurea
- occidentale / occidentalis
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
Cacatua sulphurea parvula Scientific name definitions
Systematics History
Plyctolophus parvulus Bonaparte, 1850, Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires des séances de l’Académie des sciences 30:139.—no locality. (23)
Bonaparte (23) gave no indication of the number of specimens available to him; an adult female collected at Semao, Timor, Indonesia, sometime between October 1828 and December 1829 by Salomon Müller (1804–1864), held at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden (RMNH.AVES.87995) was reported by van den Hoek Ostende et al. (17) to be the holotype, which constitutes a lectotype designation (see 18).
Identification Summary
C. s. parvula has the smallest bill and ear-covert patch of any subspecies, but has a longer tail than all except C. s. abbotti (see Measurements), and a relatively small and consistently very pale lemon-yellow ear-covert patch (2).
Cacatua sulphurea parvula (Bonaparte, 1850)
Definitions
- CACATUA
- sulphurea
- parvula / parvulum / parvulus
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
Related Species
Yellow-crested Cockatoo is presumably closely related to Citron-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua citrinocristata), with which it was formerly considered conspecific; however, the two have not been included together in any molecular phylogenetic study. In two phylogenetic studies that included Yellow-crested Cockatoo, it was found to be sister to Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita), with these two species in turn sister to White Cockatoo (Cacatua alba) (24, 25), though support values for relationships within this small clade were not strong (25). Further work is needed to resolve the relationships among these large cockatoos, including Citron-crested Cockatoo.
Hybridization
Not recorded.
Hybrid Records and Media Contributed to eBird
-
Tanimbar Corella x Yellow-crested Cockatoo (hybrid) Cacatua goffiniana x sulphurea
Nomenclature
The recently described subspecies C. s. paulandrewi (2) was named for Paul Andrew (1953–2020), the author of the first checklist of Indonesian birds (26).
Fossil History
Information needed.
Distribution
Sulawesi, including Muna and Buton islands, Masalembu Besar Island, Tukangbesi Islands (Wangiwangi, Tomea, and Binongko) and Selayar Islands (Pulau Kayuadi, Pulau Tanahjampea, Pulau Kalao, Pulau Kalaotoa, and Madu), in Flores Sea, Nusa Tenggara Islands (Lesser Sundas) (Lombok, Sumbawa, Komodo, Padar, Rinca, Flores, Pantar, Alor, Roti, Semau, and Timor).
Introduced Range
Introduced to Hong Kong and Singapore.
Habitat
Woodland and cultivation, but not found inside forests; occurs from sea-level up to 500 m on Sulawesi, and sometimes up to 1200 m elsewhere.
Diet and Foraging
Feeds mainly in trees , taking seeds, nuts, berries, and fruit. Destroys young fruits of Ceiba and Gossampinus, and attacks coconuts.
Vocalizations
Vocal Array
Commonest call is a harsh grating note on an even pitch or slightly modulated, grrreh. When perched, vocabulary more diverse, with most notes having similar tonal quality to flight call, combined with nasal squeals and squawks.
Social and Interspecific Behavior
Degree of Sociality
Tends to roost communally and to feed in groups.
Breeding
Poorly known; birds in breeding condition in September/October. Nests in tree-hollow, e.g., in Gossampinus. Clutch 2–3 eggs. Other data from captivity: incubation ca. 27 days, by both parents; chick has sparse yellow down; nestling remains in the nest for ca. 10 weeks, fed by both adults.
Conservation Status
Critically Engandered. CITES I. Formerly common, but all subspecies have been seriously reduced in numbers due to widespread trapping for the avicultural trade, in combination with habitat destruction. Dramatic population decline, particularly in late 20th century; now extinct on many islands and close to extinction on most others. Whereabouts of populations large enough to supply so many birds unknown to scientists; trapping of roosting birds with sticky poles may eliminate whole populations. Subspecies <em>abbotti</em> critically endangered, with only 10 birds encountered in 2008. Probably extirpated on Lombok and close to extinction on Sulawesi, Sumbawa, and Flores; 7 separate sightings of 2–19 birds in Rawa Aopo Watumohai National Park, southeastern Sulawesi in autumn 1995. Not recorded on Nusa Penida (east of Bali) since 1986. Occurrence on a considerable number of islands over an extensive area may mask serious decline throughout most of range. Still fairly common on Komodo, in national park. Global population estimated at fewer than 7000 individuals: 500 on Komodo (despite estimated decline of 60% between 2000 and 2005), 200–300 on Timor Leste, 200–300 on Sulawesi, 20–50 on West Timor, 40–70 on Flores, 50–100 on Sumbawa, 100 on Rinca and c. 700 other birds in total. Precipitous decline almost entirely attributable to national and international trade, but now exacerbated by large-scale logging and habitat destruction. Illegal trapping continues in many areas including Rawa Aopa Watumohai National Park, Buton, and Kadatua islands. Previously considered Endangered, but its rapid ongoing population decline, caused by unsustainable trapping for the cagebird trade, led to uplisting to Critically Endangered in 2000. Each subspecies should now be managed as a separate unit of conservation concern (2). Law enforcement must be improved.
- Year-round
- Migration
- Breeding
- Non-Breeding