Chef cockatoo or Cacatua gallerita

A relatively large body size and the presence of the yellow-crested become the hallmark of this type of cockatoo.

This cockatoo species body size range 30-52 cm. Body feathers are white with yellow colored plume. There is also a yellow color under the wings and tail. Outer ring of the eye is pale blue or white, depending on the its sub-species. Very loud high-pitched scream. Distribution area covers Maluku Islands and Papua.

Sub-species

This species has four sub-species. However, chef cockatoo are spreading in the Indonesian territory there are only two sub-species, namely medium-chef cockatoo (C. g. Eleonora / C. g. aruensis) and large-chef cockatoo (C. g. triton).

The spread  of chef-medium or medium-crested cockatoo and yellow cockatoo (C. g. Eleonora / C. g. aruensis) include the area around Aru Island and Kai Island. Chef medium yellow-crested cockatoo is often called a medium size or medium. Wing size between 26.1 to 29.2 cm and is the smallest sub-species. Another distinctive feature of this parrot is his very pale blue eyelids.

The spread of large chef cockatoo or yellow-crested big-parrot (Cg triton) including the region around Papua Island. This cockatoo is often called a great cook because he was bigger than C. g. Eleonora. Between 26.1 to 34.7 cm long wings. Eyelids pale blue. Two other types of sub-species who are in Australia, namely C. g. galerita which spread around Australia and C. g. fitzroyi which spread around northern Australia.

Population status

In nature, populations of chef parrots is stable and relatively secure, ie, carrying about 500,000 individuals. In Indonesia, scour chef cockatoo populations occur because of habitat destruction in the form of upland forest (up to about 1000 m asl), the assassination because it was considered nuisance pests of maize, as well as illegally arrested and arbitrarily to be traded as pets.

As an effort to conserve, chef parrots designated as a protected bird since 1978 through a decree of the Minister of Agriculture No. 742/Kpts/Um/12/1978 and confirmed again by the Indonesia Government Regulation No. 7/1999.

These birds, especially large sub-species (C.g. triton), has the ability to imitate sounds around it (bird imitators) and has a funny behavior and tame toward humans.

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