Gang Gang Cockatoo

Abstract

Description

This sturdy bird is close, sizewise, to the familiar Galah (Eolopbus roseicappittis) with a soft, forward curving crest. The plumage is basically sooty grey in color. The adult cock bird's crest, forehead and cheeks are red. The cock's flight feathers appear dull olive grey when the bird is not in flight. The cock's chest feathers are lightly barred with a reddish, light orangish hue. The undertail coverts are barred yellowish-orange. The feathers of the mantle edges are tinged light grey to whitish. The tail feathers are grey.

The adult hen lacks the red coloration on the face and crest that is seen on the cock bird. My own hen is over ten years old. She is showing a faint red tinge to the very tips of the feathers of her crest. She shows a lot of red tinging to the edges of the feathers on the chest and abdomen. Under tail coverts are barred as with the cock bird. The mantle feathers are edged in color similar to the cock and her tail is grey.

Immature birds show a fair amount of red edging to the feathers underneath. Their back is a basic solid grey color and the tail is barred light yellow through the grey. Young cocks show red on the crest. This is very evident based on my own observations of young feeding with the parents. This also makes for easy sexing in the nest. The crest of both sexes is unique in the Australian cockatoos, in that it curves forward.

Their feet are fleshy and grey in coloration. These birds use their feet extensively to hold their food. The bills are greyish white. Their bills form a large part of the bird's head and the beak is very strong. This is evidenced by their feeding habits, i.e. the seed pods they break up. If you ever have the opportunity to handle one of these birds, investigate the head/bill structure yourself.

Voices

The Gang Gang voice is like no other bird I know of. It has a raspy speech, hard to describe, except it is often said the sounds are like someone removing a cork from a bottle not including the pop at the end.

They have a curious little growling voice when in close contact with each other (when preening each other or just being close together on a perch).

The begging sound emitted by the young is very similar to that heard by a great many of us on a summer's afternoon wherever Galahs are feeding their young.

Range and Habitat

The basic range of these birds is Southeastern Australia, from mid New South Wales coastal to southeastern south Australia, as well as northern Tasmania. They seem to be confined to the coastal areas and inland to the higher ranges of the Blue Mountains.

I imagine their original habitat would have been the thicker eucalyptus forest areas. Now, much of this type of habitat has been replaced as a result of clearing for the pastoral industry or for complete forest changes, i.e. Pious plantations for associated industries.

Aviary Notes

The Gang Gang Cockatoo is a very desirable aviary bird, although not readily available in good feather condition. If they are in peak feather condition, they can command premium prices here in New South Wales. Then again, Gang Gangs do not come on the market all that regularly from private aviculturists. Dealers seem to get first "crack" at these birds, for several reasons. First, the dealer seems to be "in the know" and snaps up any available birds. People may keep Gang Gangs for several years, not breed them and when they see another bird species they fancy that will breed readily and raise quick cash, the Gang Gangs end up at the dealers. Also, the birds may start feather plucking, a "scourge" of this species. Again, this may cause the owner to give up and sell the birds.