Like most urban cities in the world, we have our share of Cockatoo species flying around our parks, gardens and our estates. They are either introduced, released or escaped pet birds. As we do not have any native cockatoo species their impact will be on our native parrots that share the same food sources and nesting sites. So what are the cockatoos that you see flying around your place, where are they from and how are they doing?
A. Tanimbar Corrella C. goffiniana 32 cm is the smallest and the most common of the four species. They are the only ones with a pinkish lore. Established in 1980 (Briffet 1984), they are endemic to the Tanimbar Islands in Indonesia and are classified as globally near-threatened by Birdlife International. Large flocks used to congregate around the Changi Jetty area but now are widespread all over the island. Breeding recorded in our wooded parkland and gardens.
Tanimbar Corellas looking for nest holes at Bidadari.
B. Yellow-crested Cockatoo C. sulphurea 33-35 cm is only slightly larger than the Tanimbar Corella They are not common and can be separated from the Tanimbar Corella in the field by its larger yellow crest and dark bill. They also have a yellowish cheek. Residents of Sulawesi, Sumba and Lesser Sundas and are considered globally threatened (BL Int). They were introduced into Singapore with recent records at West Coast and Alexander Parks and Changi Point. Surprisingly we do not have any breeding record.
Yellow-crested Cockatoo taken at Faber Hill. Notice the yellow cheeks. Photo: Francis Yap
Sulpur-crested Cockatoos from Sentosa (left) and Dempsey Hill (right)
C. Sulphur-crested Cockoo C. galerita 50 cm is a large noisy cockatoo. More common than the Yellow-crested, they lacked the yellowish cheek but has a blue eyering. They are native to New Guinea and Australia brought over as pet birds. Mainly escapees, there is a fairly large population in Sentosa, Southern Ridges and Loyang. We do not have any breeding records.
D. Salmon-crested Cockatoo C. moluccensis 50 cm was once fairly common but seem to disappeared. Their crest is dark pink from where it gets its name. Its range includes Moluccan Islands, Seram and Ambon. Like the Sulphur-crested, they are escapees and are found mostly in Sentosa. They are considered as globally threatened (BL Intl). We have yet to have a breeding record here.
While their numbers are threatened and in decline in this native ranges due to poaching, their population in bird parks, private collection and free roaming in our urban spaces are stable enough to ensure their long term survival. Every year in February, the Bird Group conducts a Parrot Count to document the trend of all the parrot species including these cockatoos in Singapore. If you come across roosting sites of our parrots and these cockatoos, please drop us a note but better still help us with the count.
Reference: The Avifauna of Singapore. Lim Kim Seng 2009. A field Guide to the Birds of Thailand and South-East Asia. Craig Robson. Asian Books 2000.
There are about 5 of them flying around Serangoon Ave 3 every evening! Not sure which species though…
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If you get get some photos, we can help to id them. Those without the yellow crests are tanimbar corells.
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I have seen two of the smaller versions at Farrer road at the Spanish village condo. They showed up about two days ago and have stayed.
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Thanks Therese. They will be the Tanimba correllas an introduced species that are endemic to that island.
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Saw 2 sulphur crested cockatoo at flora drive. Feeding on e tree. Eye opening. Happy.
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Thanks for the record.
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There are 20 of Cockatoos and 1 African grey at Goldhill Plaza road crossing Thomson road. Every night they sleep on the same tree next to Starbucks starting from 7.30pm
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Many thanks for the info. This group of cockatoos roost at several roadside locations around the general area. In the day they were seen foraging in the gold hill ave area and malcolm park. Most are tanimbar corellas and sulphur-crested cockatoos. There may be one or two yellow crested cockatoos in the mix. Will you able to check them out
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I saw several white cockatoos in the trees between green corridor and Portsdown road this evening. They were pigeon-sized but when they squawked I realised they weren’t doves or white pigeons. Unfortunately it was getting dark so I couldn’t take a photo. The had white crests which weren’t very pronounced so I don’t know what species they are.
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We get quite a lot of Tanimbar Corellas around the Portsdown area. Their roost is nearby.
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Thank you! Saw one Tanimbar Corrella C. goffiniana in Sentosa today! Thanks to your site I got identity it!
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Most welcome. Besides the tanimbar both the Sulphur and yellow crested are found at Sentosa
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There’s a bunch of these residing at the shell station beside queenstown mrt station
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Thanks. We will take a look at them. Do you know what species and are they roosting there
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I saw more than 5 of Tanimbar Corrella near Sentosa Cove entrance today!
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Thanks. Yes there is a small population at Sentosa
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Visited the site @ Shell gas station near Queenstown MRT station where rodneysyx kindly indicated above and fortunately found 5-6 cockatoos coming back around 7:00 pm on 12 Oct 2021.
Too dark to distinguish the species but very likely to be Tanimbar Corrella.
The Shell gas station is located in the corner between Commonwealth Ave. and Staring RD. and the tree the cockatoos are using for their inn is the large one next to the Shell gas station (Jurong side) , just beside of MRT railway.
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Thanks for the update of this roost. Numbers have dropped.
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Hi Alan, I revisited the same site yesterday (14 Oct 2021) and found 20+ individuals on the same tree in front of the Shell Gas Station.
Last time I stayed there until 7:00 pm sometime like that but this time around 7:30 pm and many individuals flow back to the tree around 7:30 pm.
Very curious why the bird choose such tree placed in very noisy and bright place by very big light on MRT course as their rooster….
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Thanks again for the update. I will try to go down and take a look myself.
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Found at least 5 Sulphur-crested Cockaoo coming back in the evening of 23 Oct 2021 to 2 tall trees cut on top in front of Eaton House bus stop across the road in Sentosa.
The trees are supposed to be their rooster….
Also saw 1 Sulphur-crested included in Tanimbar Corella @ the Shell Gas Station Site in Queenstown.
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There are a minimum of six-(6) Cockatoo’s, two-(2) extremely large adults (40-50cm) and what appears to be four-(4) juveniles (25-35cm) nesting / residing within the tree-line located along the NorthNorthwest side of the Eastwood Park Playground. They have been within the area for a number of years. They are pure polar white in color with bright ‘peach’ and ‘yellow’ color plumed crests. They clearly retain very expensive time pieces as they commence their raucous communications precisely at 05:30 hrs each and every morning…
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Thanks Mike for the record. The larger ones are the Sulphur-crested while the smaller one are the Tanimbar Corellas. If there are any in between with a yellow crest it could be the Yellow-crested. Great if you can send us some photos.
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