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Cacatua (subgenus)
Encyclopedia
Cacatua is a subgenus
of the white cockatoo
s (genus Cacatua
). They are found in wooded habitats from Wallacea
east to the Bismarck Archipelago
and south to Australia
. With the exception of the Yellow-crested Cockatoo, all are relatively large cockatoos with a total length of 45–55 cm (18–22 in). Their plumage
is mainly white (tinged pinkish in the Salmon-crested Cockatoo), and the underwing and -tail have a yellowish tinge. Their crest is expressive and brightly coloured in most species. Unlike the members of the subgenus Licmetis
, the members of the subgenus Cacatua have a black bill.
The Sulphur-crested Cockatoo is relatively widespread and can even be seen in suburban habitats in some parts of its range, but the remaining members of this subgenus all have relatively small distributions and are considered threatened by the IUCN due to a combination of habitat loss and capture for the wild bird trade.
Subgenus
In biology, a subgenus is a taxonomic rank directly below genus.In zoology, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between the generic name and the specific epithet: e.g. the Tiger Cowry of the Indo-Pacific, Cypraea tigris Linnaeus, which...
of the white cockatoo
Cockatoo
A cockatoo is any of the 21 species belonging to the bird family Cacatuidae. Along with the Psittacidae and the Strigopidae , they make up the parrot order Psittaciformes . Placement of the cockatoos as a separate family is fairly undisputed, although many aspects of the other living lineages of...
s (genus Cacatua
Cacatua
Cacatua is a genus of cockatoos found from the Philippines and Wallacea east to the Solomon Islands and south to Australia. They have a primarily white plumage , an expressive crest, and a black or pale bill...
). They are found in wooded habitats from Wallacea
Wallacea
Wallacea is a biogeographical designation for a group of Indonesian islands separated by deep water straits from the Asian and Australian continental shelves. Wallacea includes Sulawesi, the largest island in the group, as well as Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores, Sumba, Timor, Halmahera, Buru, Seram, and...
east to the Bismarck Archipelago
Bismarck Archipelago
The Bismarck Archipelago is a group of islands off the northeastern coast of New Guinea in the western Pacific Ocean and is part of the Islands Region of Papua New Guinea.-History:...
and south to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. With the exception of the Yellow-crested Cockatoo, all are relatively large cockatoos with a total length of 45–55 cm (18–22 in). Their plumage
Plumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
is mainly white (tinged pinkish in the Salmon-crested Cockatoo), and the underwing and -tail have a yellowish tinge. Their crest is expressive and brightly coloured in most species. Unlike the members of the subgenus Licmetis
Licmetis
Licmetis is a subgenus of the white cockatoos . They are collectively known as corellas in Australia. Three of the six species are primarily - or only - found in Australia, while the Philippines, Indonesia, and the Solomons each have an endemic species...
, the members of the subgenus Cacatua have a black bill.
The Sulphur-crested Cockatoo is relatively widespread and can even be seen in suburban habitats in some parts of its range, but the remaining members of this subgenus all have relatively small distributions and are considered threatened by the IUCN due to a combination of habitat loss and capture for the wild bird trade.
Species
- Yellow-crested (or Lesser Sulphur-crested) CockatooYellow-crested CockatooThe Yellow-crested Cockatoo, Cacatua sulphurea, also known as the Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, is a medium-sized cockatoo with white plumage, bluish-white bare orbital skin, grey feet, a black bill, and a retractile yellow crest. The sexes are similar...
, Cacatua (Cacatua) sulphurea - Sulphur-crested CockatooSulphur-crested CockatooThe Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Cacatua galerita, is a relatively large white cockatoo found in wooded habitats in Australia and New Guinea. They can be locally very numerous, leading to them sometimes being considered pests...
, Cacatua (Cacatua) galerita - Blue-eyed CockatooBlue-eyed CockatooThe Blue-eyed Cockatoo, Cacatua ophthalmica, is a large, approximately 50 cm long, mainly white cockatoo with a mobile crest, a black beak, and a light blue rim of featherless skin around each eye, that gives this species its name....
, Cacatua (Cacatua) ophthalmica - White (or Umbrella) Cockatoo, Cacatua (Cacatua) alba
- Salmon-crested (or Moluccan) Cockatoo, Cacatua (Cacatua) moluccensis