Cacatua sulphurea
A white, yellow-crested cockatoo whose island populations need careful distinction. Feeding, nesting, and roosting trees complement efforts to prevent harmful trade.
PANDUANHEWAN · INDONESIA
Yellow-crested cockatoo vs Salmon-crested cockatoo: the differences
How do the Yellow-crested cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea) and Salmon-crested cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis) differ? Classification, features, range, diet, size, IUCN status and legal protection, from cited sources.
The yellow-crested cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea) and the salmon-crested cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis) are different species in the same genus, Cacatua. Range in Indonesia — the yellow-crested cockatoo: Selected Indonesian islands, including Sulawesi and the Lesser Sundas; the salmon-crested cockatoo: Seram and Ambon, Maluku.
Cacatua moluccensis
The salmon-crested cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis) is a large cockatoo endemic to Seram and Ambon in Maluku, listed as Endangered because of trapping for trade.
Yellow-crested cockatoo and Salmon-crested cockatoo compared
| Aspect | Yellow-crested cockatoo | Salmon-crested cockatoo |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Cacatua sulphurea | Cacatua moluccensis |
| Indonesian name | Kakatua kecil jambul kuning | Kakatua Maluku |
| Class | Aves | Aves |
| Order | Psittaciformes | Psittaciformes |
| Family | Cacatuidae | Cacatuidae |
| Range in Indonesia | Selected Indonesian islands, including Sulawesi and the Lesser Sundas | Seram and Ambon, Maluku |
| Endemic to Indonesia | No | Yes |
| Key features | White body and yellow crest | Pink-tinged white plumage, backward-curving salmon crest |
| Size | — | Body weight: 775–935 g |
| Diet | — | Berries, nuts, seeds, coconut, insects and their larvae |
| Diet type | herbivore (plant-eater) | — |
| Reproduction | laying eggs (oviparous) | laying eggs (oviparous) |
| IUCN status | Critically Endangered | Endangered |
| Legal protection | Protected (Regulation P.106/2018) | Protected (Regulation P.106/2018) |
Every cell comes from the sourced data on each animal’s page; an empty cell means the data is not yet available, not that it is absent.
How to tell them apart
- Yellow-crested cockatoo: White body and yellow crest.
- Salmon-crested cockatoo: Pink-tinged white plumage, backward-curving salmon crest.
Sources
- Cornell Lab eBird — Yellow-crested cockatoo ↗
- BBKSDA Jawa Timur — Habitat and monitoring, 2024 (archived) ↗
- KSDAE — Masakambing population monitoring, April 2026 ↗
- TRAFFIC — Restore Species trade work ↗
- JDIH Kementerian Kehutanan — Permen LHK P.106/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/12/2018 tentang Jenis Tumbuhan dan Satwa yang Dilindungi (PDF, dengan lampiran) ↗
- BirdLife International DataZone — Yellow-crested Cockatoo species factsheet ↗
- Vigie-Nature École (MNHN) ↗
- EltonTraits 1.0 (Wilman et al. 2014, Ecology 95:2027), BirdFuncDat.txt ↗
- GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (GBIF) ↗
- BirdLife International (DataZone) — Salmon-crested Cockatoo Cacatua moluccensis species factsheet ↗
- Mongabay Indonesia — Si Burung Cantik yang Terus Diburu (2015) ↗
- World Parrot Trust — Salmon-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis) ↗
- IPB University Repository — Pengelolaan Daerah Penyangga Taman Nasional Manusela untuk Konservasi Kakatua Maluku (Cacatua moluccensis) ↗
- Mongabay — On an Indonesian island, an ancient ritual evolves to protect an endangered cockatoo (2026) ↗
- Mongabay Indonesia — Satwa-satwa Ini Kembali Hidup Bebas di Pulau Seram (2021) ↗
Want to see every animal?
Search by name, habitat or island in the animal directory.