All About Gang-gang Cockatoos

SPECIES Gang-gang Cockatoo
TAXONOMY Callocephalon fimbriatum
STATUS Least Concern (Redlist.org), Population Increasing
Vulnerable NSW (ala.org.au)

Gang-gang Cockatoos are a distinctive and charismatic Australian bird. Due to their social characteristics, Gang-gang Cockatoos are often sold commercially and kept as pets. However, they are gregarious in nature and need constant stimuli to keep them entertained and interested. In nature, they are usually seen in pairs or small groups and a key reason why if they are kept as a pet there should be more than one. Lack of attention and boredom will lead to behavioural problems such as ‘feather picking’. They require an experienced handler, training, and will come to form a strong bond with them.

Distribution & Habitat
Endemic to Australia’s south-eastern mainland, the Gang-gang Cockatoo is seen in higher elevations during spring and summer where tall eucalyptus forests provide suitable nesting hollows. In the autumn and winter, they will fly to lower elevations where they frequent abundant food sources common to the suburban gardens of lowland towns.
There exists a small population in western Victoria, bordering onto South Australia. They were once found on King Island which lies between Victoria and Tasmania, but are now considered extinct. Gang-gangs have been introduced to Kangaroo Island in South Australia.

Feeding
Gang-gang Cockatoos consume seeds, fruits, berries, insects, and their larvae. They can cleverly hold a piece of fruit with one foot while opening it up with their bill. They are often seen foraging in small groups in the tree canopy. They will form large flocks of up to 60 birds where food sources are abundant.  

Behaviour
Gang-gang Cockatoos are sometimes seen on the ground to drink or forage for seeds. Mostly they remain in the safety of the tree canopy where they will rest in the heat of the day.
Beating their wings slowly, they are considered to be powerful fliers. They often take short flights from tree to tree. Occasionally they are seen circling high above performing aerobatics and swooping.
They have a distinctive , raspy screech that mimics the sound of a rusty hinge or a creaking door. 

Appearance
Both the adult male and female Gang-gang are small and stocky weighing up to 330 grams. They have a large, broad wingspan of up to 76 centimeters and a short, square tail. They both have a wispy crest. Overall a dark grey, the feathers are faintly edged in a dull white giving a barred appearance. 
The adult male is easily identified by his orange-red head and curled crest. The adult female has a grey head and crest, with underbelly feathers edged in salmon pink to yellow-orange barrs. Young of both sexes resemble adult females. As the males mature, their distinctive red head and crest become more pronounced.

Reproduction
Monogamous and forming a strong bond, nesting pairs will build in the deep hollows found in mature eucalyptus forests. Both will build the nest using wood chips and the dust resulting from chewing at the sides of the hollow. They will usually use the same site in consecutive seasons, residing close to other pairings due to their social characteristics. 
Adult females will begin breeding by the age of four. Laying a clutch of up to three eggs, both parents will share incubation duties which lasts up to 30 days. Both parents will care for the young until they reach independence at 14 weeks. Where multiple pairs have nested, the juveniles will roost together while the parents forage. They have a total life span of up to 50 years.

Threats
According to the IUCN Red List, the population size of Gang-gang cockatoos has not been officially quantified, but it is believed to be above 10,000 mature individuals and increasing.  Currently, this species is described as generally common and classified as Least Concern.

This species plays an important role in the seed distribution from various plant species. They are under threat due to land clearing activities that remove their preferred nesting sites.