Little Corella
The Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea) is a small white cockatoo commonly seen in large, noisy flocks in trees near water or on ground in ****, pastoral country, water courses and stubble or areas offering suitable feeding sites, e.g. saltbush, mulga, mallee, and native cypress regions. Their food is mainly seeds of native grasses and legumes rather than grain crops.
The little corella has an erectile, small white crest, not always visible, and a horn-coloured bill with short tip. The lores are red and their feathers white, but underfeathers of head and throat are pink. The bare skin around the black eye and below is blue-grey.
Breeding is from August to October in South Australia, and its nest is usually in eucalypt tree hollows on decayed debris. There are 3-4 eggs.
Flocks are very noisy in flight, a two syllable contact call as well as noisy screeches. The flight is swift, direct and pigeon like.
Large flocks of up to 50 birds are often seen flying around the Urrbrae Wetlands and surrounding areas, and are seen feeding at the fields and ovals at Urrbrae and Unley High Schools and Concordia College. They are not to be confused with an established colony of aviary escapees of the long-billed corella is also seen in the area, in particular feeding on the grounds of the nearby Waite Arboretum. The long-billed corella has a significantly longer bill and with much redder neck feathers. Their feathers are often stained with earth from their feeding. In flight, if the birds are not calling, you can distinguish corellas from sulphur-crested cockatoos as the cockatoo has a darker bill, which can be seen in birds flying overhead. (Contributed by Jo G and Wen-Ai.)
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