The blue-eyed cockatoo (Cacatua ophthalmica) is a large, mainly white cockatoo about 50 cm (20 in) long with a mobile crest, a black beak, and a light blue rim of featherless skin around each eye that gives this species its name.
Like all cockatoos and many parrots, the blue-eyed cockatoo can use one of its zygodactyl feet to hold objects and to bring food to its beak whilst standing on the other foot. Among bird species as a whole, this is relatively unusual.
The blue-eyed cockatoo is a large, about 50-cm-long, mainly white cockatoo with an erectile yellow and white crest, a black beak, dark grey legs, and a light blue rim of featherless skin around each eye, that gives this species its name. The sexes are very similar in appearance. Some males have dark brown irises and some females have reddish-brown irises, but this small difference is not always reliable as a gender indicator. The blue-eyed cockatoo is easily mistaken for the yellow-crested and sulphur-crested cockatoos, but has a more rounded crest with more white to the frontal part, and a brighter blue eye-ring. The blue-eyed cockatoo reaches full maturity after 4 years and lives an average of 50 years.
Blue-eyed cockatoo has been known to make demanding, but great house pets. This bird has been called by some as the friendliest and most loving of all the cockatoo species. Household skills include mimicking owners, laying on the back of loved ones, and their love of play. Due to their interaction ability, these pets require quite a bit of attention. A lack of interaction could result in self-mutilation from the bird, that includes feather plucking.[2]
Dietedit
The blue eyed cockatoo's diet mainly consists of various seeds and nuts, berries, and fruits. They are also known to feed on insects and their larvae.
Habitatedit
The blue-eyed cockatoo is endemic to the lowland forests of New Britain east of New Guinea, and it is the only cockatoo in the Bismarck Archipelago. These low-land forests consist of primary (untouched) forests, selectively logged forests, and gardened forests, or ones tended by indigenous people. In the 1960s, researchers found it difficult to find the majestic bird due to their flight routes they took in these gardened forests. Packs of the bird would fly 3,280 feet in the air, resulting in a difficult time catching a sighting of them. They are not very particular of the types of trees they choose to nest, but are found more abundantly and actively in primary forests versus gardened forests. The nests are usually located in very large trees, at an average height of 41 m (135 ft). Psittacine habits also suggest that blue-eyed cockatoos may make altitude and seasonal migratory movements throughout the year.[3] As of 2012, the blue-eyed cockatoo's population ranges from 10,000 mature individuals to 15,000 individuals in general. This population, however, is declining.[4]
Statusedit
Initially classified as a species of least concern by the IUCN in 2004, it is suspected to have become much rarer in recent times than was assumed previously. Consequently, it was uplisted to vulnerable in 2008.[1]
The threat of this species is most likely due to the rapid clearing of lowland forest into oil plantations, in which the blue-eyed cockatoo make its nesting sites. This rapid clearing is to be thought to have an effect in the cockatoo's breeding, which would cause a decline in the population.[5][6] Illegal trade has also caused a market for this species, adding pressure to their decline. The traps used often prove to be damaging to the bird, some even consisting of branches covered in glue to capture them.[7] Unlike other bird species endemic to these forests, which may have been able to fare well in less densely forested areas such as "forest gardens", the blue-eyed cockatoo apparently relies on primary forested areas.[8] Observations have been made of the blue-eyed cockatoo in other areas of the forest, but the density of these birds seems to be greatest in the primary forest region.[9]
Referencesedit
^ abBirdLife International (2018). "Cacatua ophthalmica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22728429A132032417. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22728429A132032417.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^Stuart, J. MARSDEN; John, D. PILGRIM; Wilkinson, ROGER (2001). "Status, abundance and habitat use of Blue-eyed Cockatoo Cacatua ophthalmica on New Britain, Papua New Guinea". Bird Conservation International. 11 (3): 151–160. doi:10.1017/S0959270901000247.
^BirdLife International 2012. Cacatua ophthalmica. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 23 October 2014
^Marsden, Stuart; Pilgrim, JD; Wilkinson, R (Sep 2001). "Status, abundance and habitat use of Blue-eyed Cockatoo Cacatua ophthalmica on New Britain, Papua New Guinea". Bird Conservation International. 11 (3): 151–160. doi:10.1017/s0959270901000247. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
^Marsden, Stuart (Dec 2002). "Factors influencing the abundance of parrots and hornbills in pristine and disturbed forests on New Britain, PNG". International Journal of Avian Science. 145 (1): 43–45. doi:10.1046/j.1474-919X.2003.00107.x.
^Cameron, Matt (2007). Cockatoos. Csiro Publishing. pp. 38–39. ISBN9780643092327. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
External linksedit
Media related to Cacatua ophthalmica at Wikimedia Commons
February 16, 2024
blue, eyed, cockatoo, blue, eyed, cockatoo, cacatua, ophthalmica, large, mainly, white, cockatoo, about, long, with, mobile, crest, black, beak, light, blue, featherless, skin, around, each, that, gives, this, species, name, walsrode, bird, park, germanyconser. The blue eyed cockatoo Cacatua ophthalmica is a large mainly white cockatoo about 50 cm 20 in long with a mobile crest a black beak and a light blue rim of featherless skin around each eye that gives this species its name Blue eyed cockatooAt Walsrode Bird Park GermanyConservation statusVulnerable IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesOrder PsittaciformesFamily CacatuidaeGenus CacatuaSubgenus CacatuaSpecies C ophthalmicaBinomial nameCacatua ophthalmicaSclater PL 1864The Distribution of the blue eyed cockatooLike all cockatoos and many parrots the blue eyed cockatoo can use one of its zygodactyl feet to hold objects and to bring food to its beak whilst standing on the other foot Among bird species as a whole this is relatively unusual Contents 1 Description 2 Diet 3 Habitat 4 Status 5 References 6 External linksDescription edit nbsp At Walsrode Bird ParkThe blue eyed cockatoo is a large about 50 cm long mainly white cockatoo with an erectile yellow and white crest a black beak dark grey legs and a light blue rim of featherless skin around each eye that gives this species its name The sexes are very similar in appearance Some males have dark brown irises and some females have reddish brown irises but this small difference is not always reliable as a gender indicator The blue eyed cockatoo is easily mistaken for the yellow crested and sulphur crested cockatoos but has a more rounded crest with more white to the frontal part and a brighter blue eye ring The blue eyed cockatoo reaches full maturity after 4 years and lives an average of 50 years Blue eyed cockatoo has been known to make demanding but great house pets This bird has been called by some as the friendliest and most loving of all the cockatoo species Household skills include mimicking owners laying on the back of loved ones and their love of play Due to their interaction ability these pets require quite a bit of attention A lack of interaction could result in self mutilation from the bird that includes feather plucking 2 Diet editThe blue eyed cockatoo s diet mainly consists of various seeds and nuts berries and fruits They are also known to feed on insects and their larvae Habitat editThe blue eyed cockatoo is endemic to the lowland forests of New Britain east of New Guinea and it is the only cockatoo in the Bismarck Archipelago These low land forests consist of primary untouched forests selectively logged forests and gardened forests or ones tended by indigenous people In the 1960s researchers found it difficult to find the majestic bird due to their flight routes they took in these gardened forests Packs of the bird would fly 3 280 feet in the air resulting in a difficult time catching a sighting of them They are not very particular of the types of trees they choose to nest but are found more abundantly and actively in primary forests versus gardened forests The nests are usually located in very large trees at an average height of 41 m 135 ft Psittacine habits also suggest that blue eyed cockatoos may make altitude and seasonal migratory movements throughout the year 3 As of 2012 the blue eyed cockatoo s population ranges from 10 000 mature individuals to 15 000 individuals in general This population however is declining 4 Status editInitially classified as a species of least concern by the IUCN in 2004 it is suspected to have become much rarer in recent times than was assumed previously Consequently it was uplisted to vulnerable in 2008 1 The threat of this species is most likely due to the rapid clearing of lowland forest into oil plantations in which the blue eyed cockatoo make its nesting sites This rapid clearing is to be thought to have an effect in the cockatoo s breeding which would cause a decline in the population 5 6 Illegal trade has also caused a market for this species adding pressure to their decline The traps used often prove to be damaging to the bird some even consisting of branches covered in glue to capture them 7 Unlike other bird species endemic to these forests which may have been able to fare well in less densely forested areas such as forest gardens the blue eyed cockatoo apparently relies on primary forested areas 8 Observations have been made of the blue eyed cockatoo in other areas of the forest but the density of these birds seems to be greatest in the primary forest region 9 References edit a b BirdLife International 2018 Cacatua ophthalmica IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018 e T22728429A132032417 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2018 2 RLTS T22728429A132032417 en Retrieved 12 November 2021 Blue eyed Cockatoo birdlife org BirdLife International Retrieved August 18 2012 Stuart J MARSDEN John D PILGRIM Wilkinson ROGER 2001 Status abundance and habitat use of Blue eyed Cockatoo Cacatua ophthalmica on New Britain Papua New Guinea Bird Conservation International 11 3 151 160 doi 10 1017 S0959270901000247 BirdLife International 2012 Cacatua ophthalmica The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Version 2014 2 lt www iucnredlist org gt Downloaded on 23 October 2014 Blue eyed Cockatoo Birdlife International Web 23 Oct 2014 lt http www birdlife org datazone speciesfactsheet php id 30025 gt Blue eyed Cockatoo World Parrot Trust Web 23 Oct 2014 lt http www parrots org index php encyclopedia wildstatus blue eyed cockatoo gt Marsden Stuart Pilgrim JD Wilkinson R Sep 2001 Status abundance and habitat use of Blue eyed Cockatoo Cacatua ophthalmica on New Britain Papua New Guinea Bird Conservation International 11 3 151 160 doi 10 1017 s0959270901000247 Retrieved October 24 2014 Marsden Stuart Dec 2002 Factors influencing the abundance of parrots and hornbills in pristine and disturbed forests on New Britain PNG International Journal of Avian Science 145 1 43 45 doi 10 1046 j 1474 919X 2003 00107 x Cameron Matt 2007 Cockatoos Csiro Publishing pp 38 39 ISBN 9780643092327 Retrieved October 20 2014 External links edit nbsp Media related to Cacatua ophthalmica at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Blue eyed cockatoo amp oldid 1207000128, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
