There are four recognized subspecies of Sulfur-crested Cockatoo. The eyes of a female will be a reddish-brown while the eyes of the male will be dark brown. The same yellow can be seen on the underside of the wings and tail, and on the cheeks over the ear hole. This already seems to be happening in the Whanganui area, where kākā occasionally visit singly or in pairs and can be spotted hanging out at Bushy Park Sanctuary, whereas sulphur-crested cockatoos are thriving in a large noisy flock.The Sulfur-crested Cockatoo is a large white bird with a pale yellow crest it can raise or lower at will. Introduced species have the potential to out-compete native forest-dwelling parrots and parakeets such as the kākāriki and the kākā. The damage that parrots inflict on orchards is only one aspect of the problem. If not controlled successfully, it is only a matter of time before the flocks increase and spread across the North Island. Small groups of these escaped pets have been spotted in Mt Albert, Auckland and in Havelock North, although they are not yet well established in the wild here in Aotearoa. They can also cause structural damage to buildings. They are a threat to native birds wherever they become established as well as an agricultural pest. Ring-necked parakeets have invaded Europe and the population in many places, including Britain, is increasing rapidly. Indian ring-necked parakeets are another listed pest species. In the early 2000s, a successful eradication programme to remove them from the wild was initiated by the Department of Conservation, with ongoing monitoring to ensure no further breeding populations become established.
Rainbow lorikeets were deliberately released in the Auckland area in the 1990s and the population increased rapidly. Other regions are also taking a hardline approach to introduced parrots.
Unfortunately, there is such a growing number of sulphur-crested cockatoos in this area, and in Auckland and Canterbury, the Ministry for Primary Industries has listed them as “unwanted organisms”, along with the increasingly ubiquitous eastern rosella which inflicts considerable damage on orchards. Being, however, extremely intelligent, wary and living high up in tall trees, these wild flocks will remain elusive. If any of these wild birds could be caught and sold, it would be a fairly large “nest-egg”, with a single bird valued at more than $1000. There is a large flock in the Tūrakina Valley and another out at Kai Iwi. The Whanganui region is now home to a significant population of sulphur-crested cockatoos, descended from escaped pets. Parrots and parakeets commonly get let out of their cages to ride pirate-fashion on shoulders, fly around inside houses and unfortunately, occasionally escape. Like many parrots, the sulphur-crested cockatoo is a popular pet because of its intelligence, ability to mimic human speech and entertaining, sociable personality. Photo / 123RFĪt Virginia Lake in Whanganui, if you walk past the aviary, a slightly screechy voice will usually say “Hello”, followed by very loud squawks. The sulphur crested cockatoo is a common sight around Whanganui and is a listed pest.
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