In the afternoon, they gather in groups of up to fifty birds to roost for the night in large trees. Umbrella Cockatoos generally occur singly, in pairs and small groups, or in flocks of up to fifteen birds. They hold their food in one foot while they are eating and will favor left, or right, much like a left/right-handed person. In addition to this they actually have two pairs of opposable toes on each foot, giving them great ability to pick up and manipulate objects in their environment just like we would use our finger and opposable thumb. The “X” shaped feet are an adaptation to assist in climbing shared with only a few other climbing birds, such as woodpeckers. The upper mandible is hinged at the joining to the skull which gives it more maneuverability than in other birds. In addition to being an extremely powerful and efficient “nut cracker”, their beak is used to aid in climbing much like a mountain-climber would use a grappling hook.

These large parrots share many features with other parrots including the characteristic curved beak shape and zygodactyl feet, with two forward toes and two backwards toes. It has been suggested that tall secondary vegetation is their preferred habitat. They spend most of their time in the tree canopy. They are found in forests and open woodland, mangroves, swamps, agricultural areas and are particularly common around the edge of clearings and rivers. They have been found on other islands, but they are believed to have been introduced to these areas as escaped captive populations. They occur naturally on the islands of Halmahera, Bacan, Ternate, Kasiruta, Tidore, and Mandioli. These cockatoos are found in the North Moluccas of the Maluku province of Indonesia. The wingspan of this parrot averages around twenty-two inches. Umbrella Cockatoos medium-sized birds approximately seventeen to eighteen inches in length, and weighing around one to one-and-a-half pounds. Females usually have a smaller head and beak than males. Both sexes have a pale blue eye-ring, but males have a dark brown iris while females have a reddish iris. Sexual dimorphism occurs in the eye coloration of the Umbrella Cockatoo. The beak is grayish-black, and like all parrots, is large, curved and very powerful. This crest is rounded and umbrella-shaped when raised, thus giving them their name. They have a large white crest which lays flat on their head, but is raised with alarm, which may include excitement, curiosity, and/or fear.

The plumage of the Umberella Cockatoo is completely white except for a distinct yellow coloration on the underwings and at the base of the tail.

The name cockatoo originated from the Malay name for these birds, kakaktua, which translates literally as 'older sister.' DESCRIPTION Common Name(s): Umbrella Cockatoo, White Cockatoo, Great-white Cockatoo, White-crested Cockatoo

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