Details
Eolophus roseicapilla
The galah is a pink-and-grey cockatoo common in open Australian landscapes. It feeds by day in loose flocks and often forages on the ground for seeds.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It occupies grassland, open woodland, farms, pasture, and town parks. Open country with water and tree hollows for nesting is especially suitable.
Length is 34-38 cm and weight 270-350 g. The face and breast are soft pink, the back and wings grey, and a short crest may be raised; the bill is pale and stout.
Diurnal birds move in loose flocks that include bonded pairs. They feed on the ground and flush together when alarmed.
A herbivore, it eats grass seeds, grain, shoots, roots, and fruit. In farmland it often uses spilled or cultivated grain.
Pairs nest in tree hollows and defend eggs and chicks together. Both adults incubate and feed, and fledglings remain with parents for a time.
It is listed as Least Concern. Its use of open farming landscapes has allowed it to thrive in many human-modified areas.
