The Cockatoo
The white cockatoo or (sulphur crested cockatoo) would be the bird most Australians identify.
They are plentiful throughout the country and in farming areas are considered a pest as they feed on the crops lopping the heads off sunflowers and sorghum plants to eat the seeds.
They eat only a little and then drop most of the head on the ground to rot and then move off to the next head.
It is not unusual to see trees covered with the white birds and large flocks in crops up to many hundreds or more.
Their beaks are very sharp and they will sit and debark branches in trees or pick the protective covering off wire enabling them to short out causing problems often far from assistance.
This is just another reason for their low popularity among rural and remote people.Even if some people regard them as pests they are also prized as pets.
They are intelligent easily tamed and tend to form a bond with their owner.
They can also be taught to talk and can be a cheeky and noisy pet.
They can live 40-60 yrs sometimes out living their owner.
Pairs mate for life.
Their feathers are used in several ceremonies.
Whilst the white variety is possibly the most common there are many other types found in Australia.
Some other types in their family are found in Australia. They are the Galah, Black red tail, the Black Yellow tail, Corella, Major Mitchell, Palm, Gangtheir family Gang and a few lesser known types.
The Galah is a pink and gray smaller bird, once again very common and regarded as a pest by some and a pet by others.
Like its white cousin they are also noisy cheeky and can be taught to talk.
In Aussie slang to call someone a Galah is to call him or her a fool idiot or stupid which flows on from the watched behavior of the Galah in its natural environment.
In Australian slag the word cocky is used in many different ways:
the shortened name and is used for someone inquisitive or a farmer.
Cow cocky, a small famer sometimes with more of these birds than cows, boss cocky, the person in charge, or cockies joy, and a golden syrup which is a honey like syrup considered a treat by the early farming settlers.
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