I am quickly learning that life in Australia could be a pretty dangerous place. Yesterday we had to deal with possibly the most dangerous animal on the planet, the Saltwater Crocodile, and today we have to deal with a gang. Well, the Gang Gang Cockatoo. Okay, I guess our featured animal today isn’t that dangerous but compared to the salty crocodile even the King of the Jungle would seem like a harmless, little cat. If you are anything like me, you are probably wondering how these beautiful birds received such a bizarre common name. Unfortunately, all I know is the name stems from the New South Wales Aboriginal language but I have no idea what “Gang Gang” actually means. If you know, please share with the rest of us in the comment section below.
What in the World is a Gang Gang Cockatoo?
Besides being the faunal emblem of the Australian Capital Territory, the Gang Gang Cockatoo is an adorable, grey coloured bird with a bright red crest. Much like other birds it is the males that are the showy ones as only they have the red crest. The females of this bird species are left with the boring grey coloured head but I guess it works for them. Luckily the population of this magnificent bird appears to be healthy and this parrot species is protected by Australian law. Granted, habitat destruction still poses a major threat to their livelihood but for the most part, the Gang Gang Cockatoo is doing quite well in their distribution range.
The Retired Cockatoo
Here is a question I bet you have never been asked before. What does a Gang Gang Cockatoo have in common with a retired person? No, not that they both talk a lot (although this may be true in some cases). Actually, both of them will migrate to much warmer climates during the winter the winter season. For the Cockatoo this means traveling from the high mountain areas to the lowland, old growth forests. For retired people this means traveling from Canada to the southern United States. Yes, if this particular Cockatoo lived in North America, they would undoubtedly spend their winters relaxing throughout the state of Florida.
