Sulphur Crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita).

Seen here in a Canberra suburb. These birds are large and have a penetrating screech. They are wary and difficult to approach. Sought after as pets, they are a protected species in Australia although are regarded as pests in many cases.

Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease

Sulphur Crested Cockatoo (#6) Psittacine Beak & Feather Disease in a wild bird

On 5 February 2007 we noticed a diseased cockatoo with feather loss and deformed beak (image #6). This is a characteristic disease of these birds and is known as Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease or Psittacine Circoviral Disease. This is a fatal avian viral disease. I have not seen many examples of this and certainly not for several years. This individual was feeding on a tree along with many (apparently) healthy birds living wild in this Canberra suburb.

Technical details: images were taken with a Samsung NV3 digital camera (7.2 megapixels) using autofocus and natural light. No flash and handheld.