Under optimal conditions the gang-gang cockatoo can live up to fifty years or more. They also enjoy cotoneaster and pyracantha berries. They are one of the only birds that eat saw fly larvae and will eat an entire group of grubs at one time. They will also eat insects and insect larvae. They eat mainly seeds from the eucalyptus and acacias trees as well as some other plant material. Their call has been compared to a creaking gate and they make a growling noise when they eat. They stay mostly in trees but come down to find water and to forage for nuts and berries on the ground. They seem to prefer cooler temperatures and a wetter climate. In the winter they reside in forests and woodlands and in the summer they move to higher altitudes to dense mountain forests. It’s not unusual to see the gang-gang cockatoo in the gardens of the city of Canberra. They usually stay in family groups in summer but in winter will often flock together as they forage for food. They are stocky with a wide wing span and short tail feathers. The plumage on the body of both male and female is slate gray.Īs adults these birds are about fourteen inches long and weigh around eight or nine ounces. The females do not share this distinctive appearance and their head feathers are gray. It is one of only two cockatoos that has red on its head the other being Major Mitchell’s cockatoo. This is only true of the male of this species, though. Its crest is also red and made of wispy feathers. The prominent feature of this bird is the red feathers on its head.

Their appearance is so iconic that they are used on an emblem by the A.C.T. These birds are native to south-eastern Australia. The scientific name is Callocephalon fimbriatum. The gang-gang cockatoo is also known as the red-headed cockatoo, the helmeted cockatoo, and the red-crowned cockatoo. A Few things to consider before buying a gang-gang cockatoo.

Gang gang cockatoo pet