Galah

Overview

The galah (Eolophus roseicapilla), also known as the pink and grey cockatoo, is an Australian species and the only member of the genus Eolophus. It is one of Australia's most abundant and widespread bird species, endemic to the mainland but also introduced to Tasmania and New Zealand. The species is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Approximately 35 cm long and weighing 270–350 g with a pale silver to grey back and rump.
• Features a pink face and breast, a light pink mobile crest, and a bone-coloured beak.
• Grey legs and carunculated bare skin on the eye rings.
• Adult males have very dark brown or black irises, while females have mid-brown or red irises.

Habitat

Found throughout mainland Australia, excluding the driest areas and the far north of Cape York Peninsula, with introductions to Tasmania and South Auckland in New Zealand. It thrives in a wide variety of modified and unmodified open habitats that offer scattered trees for shelter, including metropolitan areas like Adelaide, Perth, and Melbourne. The species is absent from dense forests, especially those with high rainfall, and is rapidly colonising coastal regions.

Diet

The galah primarily feeds on seeds gathered on the ground, typically foraging in the morning and late afternoon. Large flocks may congregate in open, grassy areas and have been observed stripping leaves and bark from trees, occasionally killing trees through defoliation.

Did you know?

Galahs can live up to 72 years in captivity when provided with a strict, high-quality diet, whereas wild individuals rarely reach 20 years of age due to predation and human activities.