Cacatua tenuirostris
The Long-billed Corella, *Cacatua tenuirostris*, is a striking and intelligent parrot native to southeastern Australia, renowned for its distinctive elongated upper mandible and gregarious nature. Averaging 38-41 cm (15-16 inches) in length and weighing 450-650g (16-23 oz), this medium-sized white cockatoo is characterized by a pinkish-orange wash across its face and breast, a short white crest often held flat, and a prominent blue-grey patch of bare skin around its eye. Its most defining fie...
Found primarily in open grasslands, agricultural areas, and open woodlands, including urban parks and golf courses, typically at lower elevations.
Primarily herbivorous, feeding on roots, corms, bulbs, seeds, and grains, especially those of native grasses and introduced crops, extracted through extensive digging.
Long-billed Corellas are highly diurnal and exceptionally social, forming large, noisy flocks that can number in the thousands, especially when feeding or congregating at communal roosts in tall trees. Their foraging behavior is unique among parrots; they use their specialized long beaks to dig e...
The Long-billed Corella's native range is restricted to southeastern Australia, primarily occurring across Victoria and extending into central and eastern New South Wales, and southeastern South Australia. They are largely a resident species, undertaking only local movements in search of food and...
Least Concern
- The Long-billed Corella possesses one of the longest upper mandibles relative to body size among all parrot species, perfectly adapted for digging. - They are often observed 'grazing' on short grass swards, an unusual behavior for a parrot, resembling small, white sheep. - These intelligent bir...