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Galah (Eolophus [Cacatua] roseicapillus) Alternate name(s): "Rose-breasted Cockatoo", "Roseate Cockatoo", "Willie-willock", "Willock", "Goulie" Aboriginal name(s): Race "albiceps": "galah", "gilaa" [gamilaraay, yuwaalaraay]; "kalemji", "gillumba" Race "roseicapillus": "biako" Size: 35-38 cm; wing span: ca. 75 cm Body mass: 270-350 g Wing loading [g/cm2]: 0.45-0.55

Australia: Family Group 12 Family Group 12 Table Palm Cockatoo Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo Glossy Black-Cockatoo Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo Short-billed Black-Cockatoo Long-billed Black-Cockatoo Gang-gang Cockatoo Long-billed Corella Western Corella Little Corella Cockatiel Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Pink Cockatoo Galah Rainbow Lorikeet Red-collared Lorikeet Scaly-breasted Lorikeet Purple-crowned Lorikeet Varied Lorikeet Musk Lorikeet Little Lorikeet Eclectus Parrot Red-cheeked Parrot Double-eyed Fig-Parrot Australian King-Parrot Red-winged Parrot Princess Parrot Superb Parrot Regent Parrot Green Rosella Crimson Rosella Western Rosella Eastern Rosella Pale-headed Rosella Northern Rosella Red-capped Parrot Australian Ringneck Red-rumped Parrot Mulga Parrot Golden-shouldered Parrot Hooded Parrot Blue Bonnet Bourke's Parrot Budgerigar Swift Parrot Eastern Ground Parrot Night Parrot Blue-winged Parrot Scarlet-chested Parrot Rock Parrot Turquoise Parrot Elegant Parrot Family group table Index of bird names Habitat pages Key plants Thumbnails page Birds home page

Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Galahs are small cockatoos. They have a pink front (face, neck, chest, belly, leg feathers), a pinkish grey-white crest and a grey back (wings and tail). Male Galahs have dark irises; females have red ones. Race "roseicapillus" has grey eye-rings, race "albiceps" has red eye-rings. Race "kuhli" (in the tropical North) is somewhat smaller than the other races. The bill is light-grey, the legs and feet are dark-grey. Juvenile Galahs have a mottled grey-and-pink front and a more pinkish crest than adults. Twitcher's tip Compared to Pink Cockatoos, Galahs do not have a permanently visible crest and are darker in colouring overall (darker shade of grey and darker shade of pink).

Taxonomy, classification See Galah at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Galah is available HERE . Galahs are endemic to Australia. They are probably the most numerous and most ubiquitous of all cockatoos. They populate large parts of the Australian continent, including parts of Tasmania. On the mainland they are found anywhere but the tip of Cape York peninsula, a narrow coastal strip in the Kimberley, the South coast of WA and the most arid part of the continent, from the Nullarbor to South of the Kimberley and part of the central NT. In WA and parts of the Red Centre race "roseicapillus" is found. In the South-East, to about central QLD, race "albiceps" is found and race "kuhli" populates the tropical North. Galahs can be found in a variety of habitats, from open forest to open scrub and grassland - often also in semi-arid environments. They are usually found wherever there are seeds available, from grass seeds to commercial crops. Since they can adapt well to the presence of humans, they are also often found in urban parks and in gardens. Where to look? How to find this species? Galahs are gregarious birds that adapt very well to the presence of humans. They are usually most easily found in urban envrionments, especially near food sources (such as, e.g., grain spills along roadsides and even lawn grass in particular in winter). Galahs are one of the easiest bird species to find in Australia.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "roseicapillus" Galahs, nominate race "roseicapillus", are spotted regularly by J. Greaves around Perth and also in other parts of WA. D. Dyer reports finding Galahs, nominate race "roseicapillus", regularly in Cervantes, WA. C. Pears reports finding a Galah, nominate race "roseicapillus", regularly in various locations in Perth, WA, and elsewhere in south-western WA. Race "albiceps" We first found a Galah, race "albiceps", at Epping, near Sydney, NSW, in October 1997. Galahs are found in large numbers all over the continent, including the area of Narrabri NSW, where race "albiceps" is present. They normally appear in flocks of up to a few hundreds at a time to feed on seeds, primarily on the ground. Many Galahs, race "albiceps", were also seen by us on a trip to outback NSW and South Australia in March 2008, basically everywhere we went. Contributors have also reported their presence in various parts of southern/central QLD, western QLD, NSW, VIC and also, e.g. on Kangaroo Island, SA. Race "kuhli" P. Brown reports finding Galahs, race "kuhli", regularly in and around Darwin, NT. M. Eaton spotted Galahs, race "kuhli", at Mount Carbine, QLD, in October 2024.

Photos

Race "roseicapillus"

ADULT

PAIR

Many bird species exhibit sexual dimorphism, i.e., male and female have differing appearances which can be quite subtle.
Note the colours of the irises; the male's, left, is dark.

Pair of Galahs during a "house inspection" of an Australian Hobby's nest (photo courtesy of D. Dyer)
[Cervantes, WA, July 2020]

MALE

Close-up frontal view of a preening male Galah (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]

Close-up near-frontal view of a male Galah; the dark eye characterises this bird as a male (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, August 2022]

Near-frontal view of a male Galah (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Dianella, Perth, WA, December 2014]

Near-lateral view of a male Galah feeding on a lawn; the grey colour of the carunculated skin around the eye is typical of nominate race "roseicapillus" (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Dianella, Perth, WA, December 2014]

Close-up near-lateral view of a male Galah looking towards the observer (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Claremont, Perth, WA, August 2022]

Close-up lateral view of a male Galah (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Claremont, Perth, WA, October 2024]

Close-up lateral view of a male Galah (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Claremont, Perth, WA, August 2022]

Lateral view of a male Galah feeding on a lawn (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Dianella, Perth, WA, December 2014]

Close-up dorsal view of a male Galah looking backwards (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]

FEMALE

Frontal portrait of a female Galah looking at the observer; note the reddish irises (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Claremont, Perth, WA, August 2022]

Close-up near-frontal view of a female Galah (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Claremont, Perth, WA, October 2024]

Close-up near-frontal view of a female Galah (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Claremont, Perth, WA, October 2024]

Close-up near-lateral view of a female Galah (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Claremont, Perth, WA, October 2024]

Close-up near-lateral view of a female Galah (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Floreat Beach, Perth, WA, May 2025]

Close-up lateral view of a female Galah (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Floreat Beach, Perth, WA, May 2025]

Close-up lateral view of a somewhat messy-looking female Galah (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Claremont, Perth, WA, October 2024]

Close-up lateral view of a female Galah (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Claremont, Perth, WA, August 2022]

Close-up lateral view of a female Galah (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Claremont, Perth, WA, August 2022]

Close-up lateral view of a female Galah looking downward (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Claremont, Perth, WA, August 2022]

Close-up near-dorsal view of a somewhat messy-looking female Galah (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Claremont, Perth, WA, October 2024]

Sex unknown

Near-lateral view of a Galah (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Swanbourne, Perth, WA, April 2021]

Race "albiceps"

ADULT

PAIR

Many bird species exhibit sexual dimorphism, i.e., male and female have differing appearances which can be quite subtle.
Note the colours of the irises; the male's, left, is dark.

Close-up frontal view of a pair of Galahs having a drink of water, male on the right
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, December 2023]

Close-up frontal/ventral view of a pair of Galahs looking sideways; male on the right
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, November 2025]

Frontal/near-lateral view of a pair of Galahs, male on the left
[Near Narrabri, NSW, March 2007]

Close-up lateral view of a pair of Galahs at the entrance to their nest, male on the left
[Near Narrabri, NSW, August 2023]

Lateral/ventral view of a pair of Galahs banking in flight
[Paroo Darling NP, NSW, March 2008]

MALE

Full-frontal view of a male Galah in mellow sunlight (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Goondiwindi, QLD, March 2018]

Close-up frontal portrait of a male Galah
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2020]

Close-up frontal portrait of a male Galah - note the dark iris
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2020]

This male Galah is giving a good look at its underwing plumage (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, January 2015]

Frontal view of a male Galah picking at one of its feet, thereby showing very clearly how its toes are aligned, with two toes pointing forward and two backward; Galahs are classified as "non-passerine" birds
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, April 2012]

Frontal view of a male Galah on the ground
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2011]

Close-up near-frontal portrait of a male Galah
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2020]

Close-up near-frontal view of a male Galah
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, April 2012]

Close-up near-lateral portrait of a male Galah
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2020]

Close-up near-lateral view of a male Galah (photo courtesy of M. Eaton
[Stanage Bay, QLD, July 2021]

Close-up lateral portrait of a male Galah
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2020]

Close-up lateral portrait of a male Galah
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2020]

Lateral view of a male Galah displaying its crest
[Near Narrabri, NSW, September 2006]

Lateral view of a male Galah in flight
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, July 2014]

FEMALE

Close-up frontal portrait of a female Galah looking sideways, thereby showing clearly the warty skin around its eyes; note the reddish iris
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, April 2012]

Frontal view of a female Galah looking sideways
[Near Narrabri, NSW, May 2006]

Close-up frontal/ventral view of a female Galah looking sideways
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2022]

Near-frontal view of a female Galah looking sideways
[Near Narrabri, NSW, May 2006]

Near-frontal view of a female Galah looking sideways
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2011]

Close-up near-frontal view of a sleeping (female) Galah
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, April 2012]

Close-up lateral portrait of a female Galah
[Yarrie Lake, NSW, October 2024]

Close-up lateral portrait of a female Galah looking backwards
[Yarrie Lake, NSW, October 2024]

Close-up lateral view of a female Galah
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, December 2010]

Sex unknown

Near-lateral view of a "Galah on Ice"... (photo courtesy of C. Lawrence)
[Canberra, ACT, August 2014]

Frontal view of 3 Galahs landing to join their mates for a meal
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2015]

Near-frontal/ventral view of 3 Galahs in flight
[Near Narrabri, NSW, April 2011]

Near-lateral overview of a flock of Galahs in flight
[Near Bourke, NSW, September 2017]

Near-dorsal view of a small flock of Galahs in flight, on the way to intercept the raptor in the background
[Near Narrabri, NSW, May 2007]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-lateral view of a young male Galah learning how to feed itself; most of the time it still spent in a tree screeching to be fed
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2009]

Direct frontal/ventral comparison of an adult female Galah, right, and a fledgling male, left; note the different colour patterns - the young bird has has a lot more grey in its plumage; the orbital skin (eye-rings) is also different
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, December 2010]

Near-frontal/ventral portrait of a fledgling male Galah
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2007]

Near-lateral view of a fledgling male Galah
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2007]

Dorsal view of a fledgling Galah clambering to a vantage point from which to launch itself into the wind and fly away; this is also the technique by which hollow-nesting birds leave their nest ; note the short tail typical of all fledgling birds
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2007]

Ventral view of two fledgling Galahs just out of their nest
[Near Narrabri, NSW, November 2006]

Frontal view of a ruffled young Galah after a hefty shower; the local animal rescue team helped it until it had dried up, eaten and flown away again
[Near Narrabri, NSW, January 2006]

Galah recovering after a severe storm with 20-mm hail stones
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2016]

Juvenile Galah being fed (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, January 2014]

Fledgling Galah being fed by dad; the young begging for food sound almost like donkey's calls - to make the parent regurgitate food, the young thrust their bill forward repeatedly in jerky motions
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2008]

Young Galah being groomed by mum
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, December 2011]

Lateral/ventral view of a young Galah that turned up in our garden without its parents; having to feed itself at a very young age, it was weak when found
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2014]

Galah "rookery", where juveniles were "parked" in the shade by their parents to nibble on the lawn while waiting to be fed on a 40+ C day
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2014]

Race "kuhli"

ADULT

MALE

Lateral view of Galahs with a partiality for roasted seeds; in the foreground two males with dark irises
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, June 2021]

FEMALE

Lateral view of Galahs with a partiality for roasted seeds; in the foreground two males with brown irises
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, June 2021]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of a juvenile female Galah; the brown iris indicates that the bird is a female; the pale orbital skin suggests a young bird (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Dripstone Park, Brinkin, Darwin, NT, May 2021]

Close-up near-dorsal/ventral view of a fledgling Galah (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mount Carbine, QLD, October 2024]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Aug - Nov

Eggs: 3 - 6

Incubation period: 24 days

Fledging age: 42 - 49 days

The breeding season depends significantly on geographical latitude. In the northern tropics Galahs breed Feb - May; given the right conditions, Galah can breed any time of the year. Cockatoos are sociable creatures which often nest in loose colonies, also in conjunction with other species.

Pair of Galahs working on the next generation...
[Near Narrabri, NSW, September 2018]

In 2007 the first young Galahs fledged around mid-November, much later than the young of other species, such as e.g. Magpie-larks or Australian Magpies, both of which had their young out of the nests by mid-October, while the first batch of Welcome Swallows was already gone by mid-September.

Nest building: Male?

Incubation: Male & female

Dependent care: Male & female

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Tree hollow

Material: Leafy twigs, leaves

Height above ground: 2 - 20 m

Galahs, like most other parrots and cockatoos, nest in tree hollows.

Near-frontal view of a near-fledgling age Galah peeking out of its nest hollow
[Near Narrabri, NSW, November 2006]

Male Galah sitting in the entrance of its nest hollow; Galahs are early breeders and will already secure a nest site at the start of winter (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Bold Park, City Beach, Perth, WA, May 2021]

This male designer Galah has a home with a "Map of Australia" entrance! (Sorry, northern QLD and Tasmania are missing...)
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, September 2012]

The same entrance as shown above, one year later - this nesting hollow, with its distinctive entrance hole, can be used to demonstrate several optimization techniques: the dead tree is standing in a swamp, which protects the nest against predators such as goannas; the opening is just big enough for a Galah to squeeze in, thus protecting the birds against larger, more powerful competitors such as e.g. Little Corellas or Sulphur-crested Cockatoos; the hollow itself is wider than the entrance hole, permitting the birds to sit comfortably and turn around inside
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, August 2013]

Female Galah at the entrance of its nest hollow (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Torquay, VIC, April 2022]

Lateral/ventral view of a female Galah sitting on the "doorstep"
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, October 2011]

Galah nest in a live eucalypt but making use of the base of a dead limb; the male was still working on it, but the view from the entrance checked out all right
[Near Narrabri, NSW, September 2018]

Pair of Galahs "sounding" a tree trunk; they did not tap the trunk with their bills, but scraped the bill sideways, listening for a hollow sound and thereby gauging the suitability of the hollow inside for nesting (i.e., judging whether it was worth to pry open an entrance)
[Yarrie Lake, NSW, April 2017]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 36 x 26 mm

Colour: White

Shape: Rounded

Galah egg (by a bird in captivity)

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal

Mobility: Sedentary/dispersive

Elementary unit: Pair/flock

Galahs have very strong bonds in their partnerships. Even in flocks one can often see pairs stay close together.

As is the case for basically all species of parrots and cockatoos known to us, male Galahs must prove their mettle in bonding rituals before a female will choose to mate with them. Females, who perform all nest duties, will be reliant on the male's food supply for 10-11 weeks.

Male Galah, left, feeding his partner, right, in a bonding ritual (photo courtesy of C. Lawrence)

Some Galah "TLC", as part of a pair's bonding rituals
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2020]

Allopreening can also happen between birds of the same sex
[Pilliga Bore Bath, near Pilliga, NSW, February 2024]

Close-up lateral view of a female Galah sitting just outside its nesting hollow while her partner is giving it a final inspection
[Yarrie Lake, NSW, August 2017]

Lateral view of a male Galah giving the "all clear" - the hollow is ready for use
[Yarrie Lake, NSW, August 2017]

Around sunrise and sunset Galahs form organised flocks careening through the sky, at low altitude, with enormous speed and agility.

Like all seed eaters, Galahs spend a lot of time on the ground, foraging in large flocks of up to hundreds, see photo below.

Where there is good tucker, there will be lots of Galahs; in winter they tend to form flocks, seeking "safety in numbers"
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2015]

Galahs are often seen by us together with Little Corellas and/or Sulphur-crested Cockatoos in flocks of up to hundreds, especially where there is plenty of food (e.g. near commercial crops such as olive groves or grain storage facilities).

Also sometimes seen by us to hassle raptors. They don't swoop on the larger birds, but annoy them by accompanying them in a flock, attracting everybody's attention in the process (see photo below).

Frontal view of a male Galah mobbing two dependent juvenile Australian Hobbies (photo courtesy of D. Dyer)
[Cervantes, WA, December 2018]

Lateral view of a flock of Galahs pestering a Whistling Kite
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, August 2010]

Like other parrots and cockatoos, Galahs can be playful at times.

Here an example why Australian English has the expression "Silly Galah" (I)
[Near Bellata, NSW, June 2014]

Here an example why Australian English has the expression "Silly Galah" (II)
[Near Bellata, NSW, June 2014]

Food, Diet

Adults: Seeds

Dependents: Regurgitated seeds

Water intake: Daily

Like basically all cockatoos, Galahs are seed-eaters, where seeds include those in cones and nut-like fruit, for example those of Acacia salicina (see below). We have also observed Galahs nibbling on the buds of eucalypt flowers and also on lawns.

Lateral view of a male Galah feeding on the fruit of Acacia salicina
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2021]

Lateral view of a male Galah feeding on the fruit of Acacia salicina
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2021]

Close-up view of the fruit of Acacia salicina
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2007]

Lateral view of a Galah enjoying a feed of wattle flowers
[Eulah Creek, NSW, August 2023]

Lateral view of a female Galah feeding on a lawn
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2011]

Dorsal view of a Galah feeding on a lawn
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2011]

Grass from a lawn is hard to digest - here a flock of Galahs taking in grit first from a tennis clay court...
[Narrabri, NSW, July 2013]

... before moving on to the local cricket/football pitch
[Narrabri, NSW, July 2013]

Lateral view of one male Galah in a small group that was observed by us in wintertime ripping into the Buffalo grass of our lawn
[Eulah Creek, NSW, July 2012]

A grain spill in a farm yard provides an easy meal for many hungry Galahs
[Near Bellata, NSW, December 2016]

Mixed flock of Galahs and Cockatiels rising in alarm caused by the observer's car; they were disturbed while cleaning up a roadside grain spill
[Burren Junction, NSW, May 2018]

Galahs and Cockatiels cleaning up a grain spill
[Burren Junction, NSW, July 2021]

Flock of Galahs at a waterhole (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Station, near Cunnamulla, QLD, August 2018]

Close-up near-lateral view of a (young?) Male Galah drinking water from a bird bath
[Coonabarabran, NSW, October 2015]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

galah_jg_20160806.mp3	roseicapillus (central WA)	Contact calls	© JG
galah_20241215.m4a	albiceps (NW NSW)	Contact calls (in-flight)	© MD
galah_art_20131115.mp3	albiceps (SE QLD)	Antics (in-flight)	© ART
galah_20180923.m4a	albiceps (NW NSW)	Pair depature	© MD
galah_20180120.m4a	albiceps (NW NSW)	Various	© MD
galah_20221115.mp3	albiceps (NW NSW)	Begging calls (2 juveniles)	© MD
galah_20210129.m4a	albiceps (NW NSW)	Begging calls (juveniles) & parents' response	© MD
galah_me_20241024.m4a	kuhli (N QLD)	Begging calls (fledgling)	© ME

We have also been able to record wing beats of Galahs.

galah_20140627_2.mp3	albiceps (NW NSW)	Arrival at perch	© MD
galah_20140423.mp3	albiceps (NW NSW)	Careening	© MD

More Galah sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site? If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.