Cockatoo

/ˌkɒk.əˈtuː/ noun

Definition

A large white or colorful parrot with a distinctive crest of feathers on its head that lives in Australia and nearby regions.

Etymology

From Malay 'kakak-tua' meaning 'old sister,' which European explorers heard and adapted. The word traveled through Dutch traders into English in the 1600s.

Kelly Says

Cockatoos are so intelligent and social that they can live 60+ years in captivity and actually suffer from loneliness and depression if isolated—they're sometimes called 'the teenagers of the bird world' because they're rebellious and loud!

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