Goffin's cockatoo

The Tanimbar corella (Cacatua goffiniana) also known as Goffin's cockatoo or Goffin's corella, is a species of cockatoo endemic to forests of Yamdena, Larat and Selaru, all islands in the Tanimbar Islands archipelago in Indonesia. The species has been introduced to the Kai Islands, Indonesia, Puerto Rico and Singapore. This species was only formally described in 2004, after it was discovered that the previous formal descriptions pertained to individuals of a different cockatoo species, the Ducorps' or Solomons cockatoo (Cacatua ducorpsii). Tanimbar corellas are the smallest of the white cockatoos. This species is Near Threatened due to deforestation and bird trade. The species breeds well in captivity and there is a large avicultural population. Tanimbar corellas weigh, on average, about 250 g for females and 300 g for males. They are about 31 cm (12 in) from head to tail. Like all members of the family Cacatuidae, the Tanimbar corella is crested, meaning it has a collection of feathers on its head that it can raise or lower. Its body is mainly covered with white feathers, with salmon or pink colored feathers between the beak and eyes. The deeper (proximal) parts of the crest feathers and neck feathers are also a salmon color, but the coloration here is hidden by the white color of the more superficial (distal) areas of these feathers. The underside of its wing and tail feathers exhibit a yellowish tinge. The beak is pale grey and eye colour ranges from brown to black. Both sexes are similar. They are often confused with the little corella (bare-eyed cockatoo) due to their similar appearance. The maximum recorded lifespan for a (captive) Tanimbar corella is 26 years – though this figure may be a significant under-representation, considering the long-lived nature of many other cockatoo species. Due to ongoing habitat loss on Tanimbar, limited range and illegal hunting, the Tanimbar corella is evaluated as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The species is listed on Appendix I of CITES. In the 1970s, Japanese loggers ravaged the islands. Many of the dazed, disoriented birds were captured for the pet trade. Although many died from stress during shipment, there may be a small silver lining behind this ecological disaster, because many Tanimbar corellas have reproduced in captive breeding programs. As such, there are now more Tanimbar corellas in captivity than in the wild. Historically, the discovery of the species as Lophochroa goffini is attributed to Otto Finsch in 1863. It was named for Andreas Leopold Goffin, a friend of Finsch and apparently a Dutch naval lieutenant who died the same year at the age of 26. In 2000, it became clear that Finsch's formal description of this species was based on two specimens that actually belonged to an entirely different cockatoo species, the Ducorps' or Solomons cockatoo (Cacatua ducorpsii). Cacatua goffini thus became a synonym for Cacatua ducorpsii, leaving this species without a proper scientific name and description. In 2004, the species was formally described as Cacatua goffiniana, maintaining the intent of Finsch to name a species of cockatoo after his friend. The new description is based on an individual collected from the Tanimbar Islands in 1923 by Dr. Felix Kopstein. In aviculture the parrot is widely known as the Goffin's cockatoo. Pet birds handreared from hatching can imitate human speech, but generally they are not good talkers. They are generally quieter than the 'large cockatoos' but can still be quite loud, and they have a sharp screech that some find irritating. They can make good pets, as they are friendly and sociable when properly socialized. Like most cockatoos, they enjoy being handled and stroked. They are intelligent and they can be trained and can learn tricks.