Under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), commercial trade of these yellow-crested cockatoos are prohibited and non-commercial permits must be obtained. There’s also the fact that poachers very rarely catch wild adult cockatoos they raid nests for their eggs instead, further blurring the line between wild and captive birds. How does one tell the difference between a cockatoo that’s wild and one that’s been bred by people, you ask? That’s just it-you can’t really tell just by looking. They were eventually listed as a critically endangered species in 2002, and trading wild-caught birds was made illegal, but the ban did not apply to cockatoos which were captured before the ban (remember their long lifespans?) and birds that were bred in captivity. Unfortunately, its many positive qualities are largely what has led to its downfall.Īt the height of their popularity as pets from the 1970s to the early 1990s, Indonesia exported 78,000 cockatoos all around the world, greatly diminishing their natural population, so much so that they now only survive in small clusters scattered around their home country. Apart from being incredibly pretty, this sociable bird is also intelligent and can be trained to perform a variety of tricks, as can be seen in bird park shows around the world and in hundreds of domestic Youtube videos. Of course, a tree has to be wide enough in order to accommodate families of birds living in them, and in Hong Kong, camphor trees are a top choice. Instead of building nests on branches as many other birds do, this species favours tree holes, where they reside and lay their eggs. These crests normally lie flat on their head, like a modern hipster haircut with shaved sides, occasionally spreading up and out like a mohawk to make themselves look bigger and more impressive. They are very recognisable birds, with white feathers and bright yellow plumage on their heads. The yellow-crested cockatoo’s scientific name is Cacatua sulphurea, and it originates from the Indonesia region, with habitats also in Sulawesi and along the Java Seas. These cockatoos can now be found in the area where the former Victoria Barracks used to be-which encompasses the Hong Kong Park to Pacific Place-as well as near St John’s Cathedral, Hong Kong University, Happy Valley, Pok Fu Lam, Sai Kung, and other small pockets of space. From about 50 yellow-crested cockatoos in the 1970s, along with other pets released over the years, their local population has climbed to roughly 200 today, unexpectedly making Hong Kong one of this bird’s major habitats. Subtropical Hong Kong has similar geographical and weather conditions to the cockatoos’ natural habitats, and they have rather flourished while sharing our urban spaces. The freed cockatoos didn’t feel the need to migrate elsewhere since there was sufficient food and breeding grounds for them, and they are said to have resided around the park since then. Now converted into the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware, the building is situated within the leafy confines of Hong Kong Park. When the Japanese invaded Hong Kong in 1941, it is said that the British governor or his staff released his pet yellow-crested cockatoos kept in Flagstaff House, where the commander of the British forces resided.
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