Eleonora Cockatoo

The Eleonora Cockatoo, Cacatua galerita eleonora, also known as Medium Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, is similar in appearance to other subspecies of the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. It is found in the Aru and Kai Islands of Indonesia, where it was introduced and is common in aviculture.

It is the smallest of the four subspecies of Cacatua galerita, at approx. 44 cm long and weighing in at between 404–602 grammes. Apart from the size difference, the Eleonora differs from the Greater Sulphur Crested in that it doesn't have as prominent white eyerings (they often are a pale blue), the crest of an Eleonora is often less curved and it doesn't have the certain pointy upper mandible, which is only found in Cacatua galerita galerita.

The Eleonora Cockatoo often has pale yellow ear patches, and yellow diffusion throughout the body, especially under the wings and tail. The Eleonora also has a bald patch behind its crest.

The Eleonora Cockatoo was named by Dr. Otto Finsch. He discovered the subspecies in Amsterdam's Artis zoo and named it after Maria Eleonora van der Schroef, the wife of the then director of the zoo.

Read more about Eleonora Cockatoo:  Diet and Habitat, Reproduction, Intelligence and Beat Perception