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Description

Species Name: Galah

Species Latin Name: Eolophus roseicapilla

Also known as: Pink and Grey Cockatoo or Rose-breasted Cockatoo

Female Name: Hen

Male Name: Cock

Baby Name: Chick

Subspecies:

Eolophus roseicapilla albiceps: located across south eastern portions of Australia

Eolophus roseicapilla roseicapilla: located across western portions of Australia

Eolophus roseicapilla kuhli: located across northern portions of Australia

Native To: Australia

Located in: All portions of Australia with exception to the dryest regions of Australia as well as the far north of Capy York Peninsula.

Habitats: Located in open country with suitable trees in both temperate and tropical regions, can be found in or around waterocurses, town parks, playing fields, beaches, grasslands, shrublands, urban areas, agricultural areas, suburban areas, and woodlands.

Size (length): 340 – 380 mm (13.4 – 15.0 inches)

Wing span: 240 – 278 mm (9.5 – 11.0 inches)

Bill size: 22 – 30 mm (0.9 – 1.2 inches)

Weight: 270 – 350 g (9.5 – 12.4 ounces)

Lifespan: 40 – 72 years

Group size: Flock size can range to as small as 10 to as large as 1,000 birds.

Diet: Galah's will mainly eat seeds and grains they find on the ground. They will also eat fruits, nuts, berries, grasses, green shoots, leaves, and bark from trees.

Lifestyle: Terrestrial, arboreal, oviparous, congregatory, zoochory

Migration Behaviour: Not a migrant

Group Name: Flock, company, pandemonium

Voice: High-pitched call that can be described as a splintered 'chill chill' or 'queel queel'. Alarm call consists of low-pitched 'wee-urp'. These birds also make harsher screeching calls as well. They are known to give a loud 'scree!' call at dusk.

Mating Behaviour: Galah's are monogamous birds that form pairs and mate for life. Males will display to females by strutting towards them as they bob and wave their heads as they raise their crest. Whilst the male does their mating display they will give soft calls whilst also clicking their bills. Both parents will incubate the eggs and both parents will feed the chicks. The chicks will then leave the nest and gather in a 'crèche tree' along with other young birds as they are still fed by their parents. Young birds once independent will join large nomadic flocks with non-breeding birds until they reach the age of 2 – 3 years old.

Reproductive Season: In the north they mate from February – July, in the south they mate from July – December.

Nest Description: Nest will be located in a tree hollow of a living or dead tree. Can also have their nests in the cavities in cliffs. Nests are usually located close to other galah nests. Nests usually will be lined with eucalyptus leaves.

Eggs Per Clutch: 2 – 5 eggs

Egg Description: White and oval

Egg Size: 35 x 26 (1.4 x 1.0 inches)

Incubation Period: 4 week

Fledge date: 5 – 6 weeks

Independent Age: 6 – 8 weeks

Sexual Maturity: 4 years

Scientific Classification:

Domain: Eukaryota

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Psittaciformes

Family: Cacatuidae

Genus: Eolophus

Description:

Galah's are medium sized birds with a white cap and crest on their head, pink feathers along their face, neck, breast, and stomach, grey feathers along their shoulders, wings, and dark grey feathers at their wing tips. During flight and when viewed from below their wings will be pink closer to front, grey towards the back, and dark gray on the tips of the feathers at the back. They have grey feet and legs, a short bone-coloured bill, and pink eyes.

Behaviour:

Galah's are highly sociable birds that are known to gather in very large flocks, sometimes these flocks will mix with other Cockatoo species. During hot weather these birds will spend a lot of their time sheltering among shrubs and trees. They are often seen in acrobatic postures where they will sometimes hang upside down holding on by one foot only as they flap their wings. The flocks of galah's will usually congregate on the ground as they forage for food in open, grassy areas. They will usually feed in the morning as well as in the late afternoon. They have been observed to strip leaves and bark from trees, this has been known to kill some trees through defoliation.

Population (approximate): Unknown

Population Trend: Increasing

Conservation Status: Least Concern

Potential threats and conservation:

These birds are abundant and widespread across their range as such they considered a species of least concern by the IUCN Red List. That said these birds are often considered a pest species and be shot, trapped, or poisoned in an effort to reduce the damage they have on agriculture.

Further Reading (general information):

Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galah

Austrlaian Museum: australian.museum/learn/animal…

Birdlife: birdlife.org.au/bird-profiles/…

Ebird: ebird.org/species/galah

Australian Geographic: www.australiangeographic.com.a…

Animalia: animalia.bio/galah

Book References:

The Australian Bird Guide Revised Edition published by CSIRO Publishing

Birds of Australia published by DK Nature Guide

The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia published by Harper Collins

The Slater Field Guide To Australian Birds Second Edition by Peter Slater, Pat Slater, and Raoul Slater

Description

Species Name: Galah

Species Latin Name: Eolophus roseicapilla

Also known as: Pink and Grey Cockatoo or Rose-breasted Cockatoo

Female Name: Hen

Male Name: Cock

Baby Name: Chick

Subspecies:

Eolophus roseicapilla albiceps: located across south eastern portions of Australia

Eolophus roseicapilla roseicapilla: located across western portions of Australia

Eolophus roseicapilla kuhli: located across northern portions of Australia

Native To: Australia

Located in: All portions of Australia with exception to the dryest regions of Australia as well as the far north of Capy York Peninsula.

Habitats: Located in open country with suitable trees in both temperate and tropical regions, can be found in or around waterocurses, town parks, playing fields, beaches, grasslands, shrublands, urban areas, agricultural areas, suburban areas, and woodlands.

Size (length): 340 – 380 mm (13.4 – 15.0 inches)

Wing span: 240 – 278 mm (9.5 – 11.0 inches)

Bill size: 22 – 30 mm (0.9 – 1.2 inches)

Weight: 270 – 350 g (9.5 – 12.4 ounces)

Lifespan: 40 – 72 years

Group size: Flock size can range to as small as 10 to as large as 1,000 birds.

Diet: Galah's will mainly eat seeds and grains they find on the ground. They will also eat fruits, nuts, berries, grasses, green shoots, leaves, and bark from trees.

Lifestyle: Terrestrial, arboreal, oviparous, congregatory, zoochory

Migration Behaviour: Not a migrant

Group Name: Flock, company, pandemonium

Voice: High-pitched call that can be described as a splintered 'chill chill' or 'queel queel'. Alarm call consists of low-pitched 'wee-urp'. These birds also make harsher screeching calls as well. They are known to give a loud 'scree!' call at dusk.

Mating Behaviour: Galah's are monogamous birds that form pairs and mate for life. Males will display to females by strutting towards them as they bob and wave their heads as they raise their crest. Whilst the male does their mating display they will give soft calls whilst also clicking their bills. Both parents will incubate the eggs and both parents will feed the chicks. The chicks will then leave the nest and gather in a 'crèche tree' along with other young birds as they are still fed by their parents. Young birds once independent will join large nomadic flocks with non-breeding birds until they reach the age of 2 – 3 years old.

Reproductive Season: In the north they mate from February – July, in the south they mate from July – December.

Nest Description: Nest will be located in a tree hollow of a living or dead tree. Can also have their nests in the cavities in cliffs. Nests are usually located close to other galah nests. Nests usually will be lined with eucalyptus leaves.

Eggs Per Clutch: 2 – 5 eggs

Egg Description: White and oval

Egg Size: 35 x 26 (1.4 x 1.0 inches)

Incubation Period: 4 week

Fledge date: 5 – 6 weeks

Independent Age: 6 – 8 weeks

Sexual Maturity: 4 years

Scientific Classification:

Domain: Eukaryota

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Psittaciformes

Family: Cacatuidae

Genus: Eolophus

Description:

Galah's are medium sized birds with a white cap and crest on their head, pink feathers along their face, neck, breast, and stomach, grey feathers along their shoulders, wings, and dark grey feathers at their wing tips. During flight and when viewed from below their wings will be pink closer to front, grey towards the back, and dark gray on the tips of the feathers at the back. They have grey feet and legs, a short bone-coloured bill, and pink eyes.

Behaviour:

Galah's are highly sociable birds that are known to gather in very large flocks, sometimes these flocks will mix with other Cockatoo species. During hot weather these birds will spend a lot of their time sheltering among shrubs and trees. They are often seen in acrobatic postures where they will sometimes hang upside down holding on by one foot only as they flap their wings. The flocks of galah's will usually congregate on the ground as they forage for food in open, grassy areas. They will usually feed in the morning as well as in the late afternoon. They have been observed to strip leaves and bark from trees, this has been known to kill some trees through defoliation.

Population (approximate): Unknown

Population Trend: Increasing

Conservation Status: Least Concern

Potential threats and conservation:

These birds are abundant and widespread across their range as such they considered a species of least concern by the IUCN Red List. That said these birds are often considered a pest species and be shot, trapped, or poisoned in an effort to reduce the damage they have on agriculture.

Further Reading (general information):

Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galah

Austrlaian Museum: australian.museum/learn/animal…

Birdlife: birdlife.org.au/bird-profiles/…

Ebird: ebird.org/species/galah

Australian Geographic: www.australiangeographic.com.a…

Animalia: animalia.bio/galah

Book References:

The Australian Bird Guide Revised Edition published by CSIRO Publishing

Birds of Australia published by DK Nature Guide

The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia published by Harper Collins

The Slater Field Guide To Australian Birds Second Edition by Peter Slater, Pat Slater, and Raoul Slater