The yellow-crested cockatoo 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 or orange crest. The sexes are similar.
Region
Wallacea (Indonesia and Timor region)
Typical Environment
Native to the Lesser Sunda Islands and parts of Sulawesi, with remnant populations on islands such as Sumba, Timor, and nearby islets. It occupies monsoon forest, open woodland, savanna with scattered trees, mangroves, coconut groves, and agricultural mosaics near forest edges. The species often forages near villages and along forest margins where fruiting trees are available. It nests in cavities of large, mature trees in both primary and secondary forest.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Also called the lesser sulphur-crested cockatoo, it is a small, intelligent cockatoo famous for its retractile yellow to orange crest and loud, piercing calls. Wild populations have collapsed due to trapping for the pet trade and habitat loss; it is listed on CITES Appendix I. Several subspecies exist, including the orange-crested form on Sumba (C. s. citrinocristata). Feral populations persist in a few cities, but they do not reflect the species’ native status.
A yellow-crested cockatoo (left) and a sulphur-crested cockatoo in a Hong Kong park
Temperament
social and noisy
Flight Pattern
strong direct flight with rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small, loose flocks; larger groups may gather at communal roosts. Pairs are monogamous and nest in tree cavities, often returning to favored sites. They exhibit mutual preening and strong pair bonds, with juveniles staying with parents for extended periods.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Calls are loud, harsh screeches and repeated rasping notes that carry over long distances. Contact calls within flocks are incessant, with excited chatter around feeding and roosting sites.
Plumage
Mostly white with a slight yellow wash on the underwings and undertail; retractile crest is yellow to orange depending on subspecies.
Diet
Feeds on seeds, nuts, fruits, berries, and flower buds, and will take nectar when available. It also consumes green shoots and cultivated crops such as maize and coconuts, which can bring it into conflict with farmers. Occasionally takes insects and larvae, especially when feeding young.
Preferred Environment
Forages in the canopy of fruiting trees, along forest edges, and in wooded farmland. It also visits gardens and plantations where food resources are predictable.
