(Cacatua tenuirostris)
Length: 38-41 cm Uncommon
The Long-billed Corella is a cockatoo native to Australia and which is similar in appearance to the Little Corella and Sulphur-crested Cockatoo.
This species is mostly white with reddish pink face and forehead and has a long pale beak which is used to dig for roots and seeds. It has reddish pink feathers on the breast and belly. It was first described by German naturalist Heinrich Kuhl in 1820. It is one of several related species of cockatoo called Corellas and classified in the subgenus Licmetis within the genus Catatua, members of which are known as “white cockatoos”.
They can be found in the wild around western Victoria and southern New South Wales. Feral populations have sprung up in Perth, Sydney, Hobart and south east Queensland from the release of captive birds. This has implications in Western Australia where this species may hybridize with the endangered southern race of the Western Corella.
It is found in grassy woodlands and grasslands, including pasture, fields of agricultural crop and urban parks. Breeding generally takes place in July to November. They form monogamous pairs and both sexes share the task of building the nest, incubating the eggs and caring for the young.
They are now popular as pets in many parts of Australia although they were formerly uncommon. Their captive population has stabilised in the last decade. This may be due to their ability to mimic words and whole sentences to near perfection. The Long-billed Corella has been labelled the best talker of the Australian cockatoos.
They are viewed as agricultural pests particularly in western Victoria and Western Australia. They create significant crop damage and are also well known for tearing up pieces of asphalt along roadsides and even damaging power lines. Permits are regularly issued in Western Australia for the culling of the species.
