Philippine Cockatoo

Facts

IUCN CRITICALLY ENDANGERED (CR)

Facts about this animal

The general plumage of the Philippine Cockatoo is white, the crest is backward-curving. The undersides of the tail feathers are yellow and the under coverts are orange-red. The length of the bird is about 31 cm. It has a greyish-white bill and grey legs. The iris of the males is brown and reddish-brown in females.

Did you know?
that the Philippine cockatoo, which is rated critically endangered today,was once so abundant in the Polillos that it was considered a rice pest?

Factsheet
Class	AVES
Order	PSITTACIFORMES
Suborder	PSITTACI
Family	PSITTACIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Cacatua haematuropygia
Name (English)	Philippine Cockatoo
Name (French)	Cacatoès à ventre rouge
Name (German)	Rotsteisskakadu
Name (Spanish)	Cacatúa de cola sangrante
Local names	Tagalog: Kalangay
CITES Status	Appendix I
CMS Status	Not listed

Photo Copyright by
Benedict De Laender

Distribution

Distribution
Range	Philippines
Habitat	Lowland forests and mangroves
Wild population	1'000-4'000 (1992)
Zoo population	156 reported to ISIS, including subspecies aterrimus and goliath (2008)

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Note 11D of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.

Find this animal on ZooLex

Photo Copyright by
Benedict De Laender

Why do zoos keep this animal

The Philippine cockatoo is rated Critically Endangered by IUCN and is listed in Appendix I of CITES. European zoos therefore aim at maintaining a viable ex situ population under an EEP.

How this animal should be kept

Cockatoos must not be kept chained and must not be pinioned. If feather clipped, they should have available an area corresponding at least to that of an aviary for this species, and there must be ample climbing opportunities.

An aviary for a pair must have a surface of no less than 3 x 2 m and a height of at least 2 m. In cold and temperate climates a frost free shelter or indoor aviary of at least 2 m² x 2 m high is necessary.

A variety of branches for perching, climbing and chewing is necessary to keep these intelligent birds busy.

Cockatoos may select food items on the basis of colour and texture rather than on taste or nutrient content. Therefore it is important to provide a variety of nutritionally valuable and, at the same time, interesting food. Pellets provide an ideal diet only in combination with other favourable and nutritionally suitable feeds, e.g. a mixture of apple, carrots soaked corn and vitamin/mineral supplement, soaked sunflower seeds, fruit (e.g. grapes, banana, pear, plum, orange, mango), vegetables (e.g. sweet pepper, chicory, courgette), nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts), and dog pellets.