The derivation has also been used for the family and generic names Cacatuidae and Cacatua respectively. Seventeenth-century variants include cacato, cockatoon and crockadore, and cokato, cocatore and cocatoo were used in the eighteenth century. The word cockatoo dates from the 17th century and is a derivation from the Indonesian name for these birds, "kakak tua" (meaning "older sibling") or from the call of the white cockatoo itself. Some cockatoo species have been adversely affected by habitat loss, particularly from a shortage of suitable nesting hollows after large mature trees are cleared conversely, some species have adapted well to human changes and are considered agricultural pests. Cockatoos are monogamous and nest in tree hollows. They often feed in large flocks, particularly when ground-feeding. The second and larger branch is formed by the genus Cacatua, comprising 11 species of white-plumaged cockatoos and four monotypic genera that branched off earlier namely the pink and white Major Mitchell's cockatoo, the pink and grey galah, the mainly grey gang-gang cockatoo and the large black-plumaged palm cockatoo.Ĭockatoos prefer to eat seeds, tubers, corms, fruit, flowers and insects. The five large black coloured cockatoos of the genus Calyptorhynchus form one branch. The remaining species are in two main clades. The phylogenetic position of the cockatiel remains unresolved, other than that it is one of the earliest offshoots of the cockatoo lineage. On average they are larger than other parrots however, the cockatiel, the smallest cockatoo species, is a small bird. Their plumage is generally less colourful than that of other parrots, being mainly white, grey or black and often with coloured features in the crest, cheeks or tail. Cockatoos are recognisable by the showy crests and curved bills.
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