Philippine Cockatoo

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Scientific name: The scientific name of the philippine cockatoo is "Cacatua Haematuropygia"

Status: IUCN- critically endangered. CITES- Appendix 1. Until c. 1980 the Philippine Cockatoo was a common species found throughout the Philippine Archipelago. Since then a 60-90% decline in population has occured as a result of human activities.

Description: The endemic Philippine or Red-Vented Cockatoo is a small psittacine with a helmet crest and red undertail coverts. The white plumage is extremely conspicuous in flight and in the foliage of the lowland dipterocarp and mangrove forest habitats. It is 12.2 inches long and has an 8.6 inches wingspan. The Katala as it is locally called is a social species which roosts, feeds, and flies in noisy groups but during the mating season, from March to July, pairs live apart from the flock, often reusing the same nesting tree year after year. It is a favorite caged-bird because of its ability to mimick the human voice.

Distribution: In 1994, the estimated population is 1,000 to 4,000 indivuals, 70-75% of which is believed to occur in Palawan. Isla Rasa probably holds the highest population density with 50-70 recorded individuals.

Feeding: The Philippine cockatoo feeds on seeds, and, to a lesser extent, on fruits, flowers, buds and soft bark. The species is very adaptable and even forages on crops, particularly rice in a half-ripe stage and corn. Therefore the cockatoo was formerly regarded as a pest.

Breeding: Pair bonds start to get closer in October. Birds are travelling pairwise and grooming of partners can be observed more frequently at the roosting site. Nest holes are selected starting from end of December. Laying of eggs is recorded from the second February decade to the first April decade, but usually peaking between end of February and beginning of March. Full clutches contain two or three eggs. On Rasa, sixteen nesting trees have been reported comprising five tree species.

Habitat: Lowland, riverine, and mangrove forests but may be found in forest edge and open fields as well as high in the mountains. Can be seen singly or in flocks of up to 30 or more.

Voice: Loud raucous calls are varied ranging from eeeek, owwwwk, and rouuuk, and are almost deafening when several birds are calling together, especially in flight.