the.com/cockatoo
a screaming feathered genius that picks locks, throws tantrums, and outlives most of its enemies.
means A large, crested parrot native to Australia and nearby islands, known for its loud calls, striking head plume, and remarkable intelligence.
from From the Malay 'kakatua,' likely echoing the bird's harsh cry (or possibly built from 'kaka,' a parrot, plus 'tua,' meaning old or elder sister). Dutch traders carried the word back to Europe as 'kaketoe' in the 17th century, where English speakers reshaped it into 'cockatoo' — the 'cock-' nudged by the familiar rooster, since folk tongues love to fold a strange foreign word into a homely shape.
- lifespan
- can live past 80 years in captivity
- dance moves
- bobs in rhythm to music, genuinely on beat
- lock picking
- solves multi-step puzzles to steal food
- volume
- screams reach 135 decibels, jet-engine loud
- tool sharing
- some craft and lend tools to each other
sulphur-crested cockatoo — large white parrot native to australia and nearby regions, can live 80+ years in captivity
moluccan cockatoo — salmon-pink cockatoo from indonesia, endangered, listed on cites appendix i
galah cockatoo — pink and grey cockatoo common across mainland australia, population in millions