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Blue Eyed Cockatoo

Blue Eyed Cockatoo
cacatua ophthalmica

Length: 45-50cm/18-20 inches
Weight: 500-575 grams
Life span: 50-60 years
Incubation: 28-30 days
Age at weaning: 14-16 weeks
Age at maturity: 3-4 years
Natural habitat: Bismark Archipelago, Papua New Guinea

The Blue Eyed Cockatoo is native to the forests of New Britain in the Bismark Archipelago.  This is an island off the north west coast of New Guinea in the western pacific ocean.  They are normally seen in pairs or small groups and are very conspicuous when in flight due to their loud screeches.

Their diet consists of seed, nuts, berries, fruit, and insects and their larvae.

Blue Eyed Cockatoo's are very rare, both in the wild and in captivity, so little is know about their breeding behaviour but a normal clutch seems to be 2 eggs, the male and female will take it in turns to incubate.

The Blue Eyed Cockatoo is a beautiful bird, they have a blue circle of featherless skin around their eyes hence their name.  Their plumage is mainly white, and they have a long backward curving rounded crest of white and yellow.  The yellow is normally not seen until their crest is raised.  They also have yellow feathers beneath their wings and tail.  Their beak is black and adult males have a black iris and the females red.  In immature birds both sexes have dark iris's.

Interesting fact: The Little Corella is sometimes called the Blue Eyed Cockatoo but this is incorrect, the Blue Eyed Cockatoo is a separate species and looks very different.

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