Palm Cockatoo Probosciger aterrimus Scientific name definitions

51–64 cm (1 Juniper, T., and M. Parr (1998). Parrots: A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ); 550–1000 g. Generally black with naked scarlet cheek patches and long, backward-curving crest ; gape red, tongue red with black tip; massive bill grey-black , with upper mandible 94 mm long in male, 74 mm in female; eye dark brown; legs grey to black (1 Juniper, T., and M. Parr (1998). Parrots: A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ) with bare grey thighs. Female also has smaller cheek patches (1 Juniper, T., and M. Parr (1998). Parrots: A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ). Immature has feathers of underparts and underwing-coverts (1 Juniper, T., and M. Parr (1998). Parrots: A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ) edged pale yellow, as well as white tip to bill (lost after c. 18 months) and eyering, with paler pink facial skin (1 Juniper, T., and M. Parr (1998). Parrots: A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ).

Internal taxonomy uncertain; phylogeographical study (2 Murphy, S.A., Double, M.C. and Legge, S.M. (2007). The phylogeography of Palm Cockatoos, Probosciger aterrimus, in the dynamic Australo-Papuan region. J. Biogeogr. 34(9): 1534–1545. Close ) identified two main clades: one in W, corresponding approximately with race goliath; and the other in E, where small genetic differences among populations render delimitation of races very difficult and perhaps unreliable; present arrangement provisional, pending further investigation. Proposed race alecto (W Papuan Is) is here included within goliath; form intermedius (Aru Is) is a synonym of nominate. Original type locality of species probably based on faulty citation of Latham referring to another species of cockatoo. Four subspecies tentatively recognized.

Introduced (possibly nominate race) to Kai Is, in SE Moluccas.

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

In New Guinea , frequents rainforest, gallery forest (1 Juniper, T., and M. Parr (1998). Parrots: A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ), forest edges, partly cleared areas, tall secondary forest, monsoon woodland and, locally, dense savanna. Mostly in lowlands and hills up to 1350 m, but commonest below 750 m (1 Juniper, T., and M. Parr (1998). Parrots: A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ). On Cape York Peninsula , frequents fringe zone between lowland monsoon forest and adjacent Eucalyptus woodland, as well as dense savanna and paperbark woodlands (1 Juniper, T., and M. Parr (1998). Parrots: A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ). In Australia, most abundant in woodland, rather than rainforest (3 Murphy, S.A. and Legge, S.M. (2007). The gradual loss and episodic creation of Palm Cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus) nest-trees in a fire- and cyclone-prone habitat Emu. 107(1): 1-6. Close ).

Territorial pairs are resident in a patch of forest that provides several nest-hollows. Pairs may associate together in flocks of up to 30 birds when foraging outside the territory wherever fruiting trees are available, but return to roost in their territories at night, where they are intolerant of other conspecifics.

Chiefly arboreal feeder , taking seeds, fruits, nuts , berries and buds from a wide variety of plants, particularly Pandanus palm nuts and Castanospermum australe (1 Juniper, T., and M. Parr (1998). Parrots: A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ); occasionally eats fallen fruits on the ground , especially seeds of Terminalia kaernbachii and Canarium (1 Juniper, T., and M. Parr (1998). Parrots: A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ). Nuts are routinely cut in half using the massive bill (1 Juniper, T., and M. Parr (1998). Parrots: A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ).

Wide variety of calls, all of which are generally higher-pitched than those of Cacatua galerita, while the frequently-uttered bisyllabic whistled contact call is less harsh and grating than in Calyptorhynchus species, with the first note mellow and deep, the second shrill, high-pitched, prolonged and ending on an abrupt upward-inflection; also more raucous calls including a far-carrying, donkey-like “keeyaank!”, “eeyohn!” or “raah!” and a sharp guttural screeching (1 Juniper, T., and M. Parr (1998). Parrots: A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ).

Laying recorded Jul–Mar. Pairs are territorial and resident, nesting in hollows high (1 Juniper, T., and M. Parr (1998). Parrots: A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ) in the trunk of dead or living trees (in Australia, Eucalyptus tetrodonta or Corymbia nesophila and C. clarksoniana are the most frequently used tree species) (3 Murphy, S.A. and Legge, S.M. (2007). The gradual loss and episodic creation of Palm Cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus) nest-trees in a fire- and cyclone-prone habitat Emu. 107(1): 1-6. Close ); hollow is lined with freshly shredded twigs and wood chips (1 Juniper, T., and M. Parr (1998). Parrots: A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ) prepared by both members of pair; lining sometimes up to 1 m deep (1 Juniper, T., and M. Parr (1998). Parrots: A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ). Species builds nests in multiple hollows, a subset of which are used for actual breeding whereas the rest are used only for display purposes (3 Murphy, S.A. and Legge, S.M. (2007). The gradual loss and episodic creation of Palm Cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus) nest-trees in a fire- and cyclone-prone habitat Emu. 107(1): 1-6. Close ). Both partners have been seen to give spectacular drumming display at nest-hollow, using specially prepared stick or Grevillea glauca nut as a tool; drumstick is held in foot and beaten against hollow trunk. Usually one white egg (1 Juniper, T., and M. Parr (1998). Parrots: A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ); incubation c. 30–35 days (1 Juniper, T., and M. Parr (1998). Parrots: A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ) by female, which is fed by male; hatchling naked, not downy as in other cockatoos; nestling remains in the hollow for 100–110 days (1 Juniper, T., and M. Parr (1998). Parrots: A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ) and is fed by female; in captivity, fledging 78–81 days. On fledging, young bird remains with parents until next nesting season approaches and continues to be fed by adults for c. 6 weeks after leaving nest (1 Juniper, T., and M. Parr (1998). Parrots: A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ). Nest success 22% in N Australia in 1999 (4 Pain, D. J., Martins, T. L. F., Boussekey, M., Diaz, S. H., Downs, C. T., Ekstrom, J. M. M., Garnett, S., Gilardi, J. D., McNiven, D., Primot, P., Rouys, S., Saoumoé, M., Symes, C. T., Tamungang, S. A., Theuerkauf, J., Villafuerte, D., Verfailles, L., Widmann, P. and Widmann, I. D. (2006). Impact of protection on nest take and nesting success of parrots in Africa, Asia and Australasia. Animal Conservation 9(3):322–330. Close ), but 40% in Crater Mountain (Papua New Guinea) (5 Heinsohn, R., Zeriga, T., Murphy, S., Igag, P., Legge, S. and Mack, A.L. (2009). Do Palm Cockatoos (Probosciger aterrimus) have long enough lifespans to support their low reproductive success? Emu. 109(3): 183-191. Close ); major nest predators include varanid lizards (Varanus spp.), giant white-tailed rats (Uromys caudimaculatus), Black Butcherbirds (Melloria quoyi) and amethyst pythons (Morelia amethistina) (5 Heinsohn, R., Zeriga, T., Murphy, S., Igag, P., Legge, S. and Mack, A.L. (2009). Do Palm Cockatoos (Probosciger aterrimus) have long enough lifespans to support their low reproductive success? Emu. 109(3): 183-191. Close ). Furthermore, reproductive rate is very slow, as females in Iron Range National Park, on Cape York Peninsula, only breed on average every 2·2 years (5 Heinsohn, R., Zeriga, T., Murphy, S., Igag, P., Legge, S. and Mack, A.L. (2009). Do Palm Cockatoos (Probosciger aterrimus) have long enough lifespans to support their low reproductive success? Emu. 109(3): 183-191. Close ).

Not globally threatened. CITES I. Previously considered Near Threatened. Much sought after for aviary trade, which is illegal in Australia; development of methods to distinguish between Australian and New Guinea birds would help the authorities to police this trade; may be seriously affected by this factor, and listed on CITES I since 1987. In New Guinea, extent of lowland rainforest habitat has been notably reduced by logging, which continues. Remains common in Fakfak Mts, SW Irian Jaya (6 Gibbs, D. (1994). Undescribed taxa and new records from the Fakfak Mountains, Irian Jaya. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 114(1):4–12. Close ). Status in Australia rated insufficiently known; the ecotone between tropical forest and woodland has been little modified, but more frequent and mismanaged fires late in dry season may destroy significant numbers of nest-hollows; a study conducted between 1999 and 2005 focusing on a mean 48 nest-trees each year found that 26·2% trees were rendered unusable by the cockatoos due to fire (62·5%), wind (25%) and intense decay, where the tree was left standing but unusable (12·5%), with on average, 5·2% of nest-trees lost each year of the study; on the other hand, tropical cyclones can be a positive agent for creating nesting habitat (3 Murphy, S.A. and Legge, S.M. (2007). The gradual loss and episodic creation of Palm Cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus) nest-trees in a fire- and cyclone-prone habitat Emu. 107(1): 1-6. Close ). Like many other birds restricted in mainland Australia to N Queensland , it is poorly known among the country’s general public, which does not facilitate its conservation (7 Wilson, C. and Tisdell, C. (2005). Knowledge of birds and willingness to support their conservation: an Australian case study. Bird Conservation International. 15(3): 225-235. Close ). Species (especially nestlings) (5 Heinsohn, R., Zeriga, T., Murphy, S., Igag, P., Legge, S. and Mack, A.L. (2009). Do Palm Cockatoos (Probosciger aterrimus) have long enough lifespans to support their low reproductive success? Emu. 109(3): 183-191. Close ) hunted for food in New Guinea, and possibly on Cape York too; high rates of nestling predation in Papua New Guinea and low reproductive rate in Australia suggest that in the long term the species is at some risk (5 Heinsohn, R., Zeriga, T., Murphy, S., Igag, P., Legge, S. and Mack, A.L. (2009). Do Palm Cockatoos (Probosciger aterrimus) have long enough lifespans to support their low reproductive success? Emu. 109(3): 183-191. Close ). Captive-breeding programmes in Europe and North America.