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Western Corella
(Cacatua pastinator)
: "Western Long-billed Corella", "Muir's Corella" (nominate race pastinator)
Aboriginal name(s): "manyt", "manatj" "nganarra", "binadji"
Size: 40-48 cm
Weight: 560-815 g
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
Western Corellas are small cockatoos. In many of their properties
(size, length of upper mandible, amount of red on chest and lores)
they are situated in between the smaller Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea)
and the Long-billed
Corella (Cacatua tenuirostris).
They are almost all-white, except a blue eye-patch, red pink
lores and a general light-pink hue of the head and front, down
to the undertail coverts. They have some pink feathers on the upper
chest that can be hidden. Only when the wings are extended, one
can see that the underwings are pale-yellow. The undertail has
a slightly stronger yellow hue than the underwings.
The irises are dark, the bill is light-grey and has a long upper
mandible, the legs and feet are grey. Western Corellas or the
more northern/inland race "derbyi" are on average
smaller and lighter than those of nominate race "pastinator".
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Western
Corella at Wikipedia .
Click here for classification information
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed based
on sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
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The global distribution of the Western Corella is available
HERE
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Western Corellas are endemic to Australia, where they have a limited
range.
Nominate race "pastinator" is found only in remnant woodland in a
small area in the far South-west of WA (but not on the coastline).
Race "derbyi",
which includes fomer race "butleri", is found on the central WA coast
and farther inland, from about Kalbarri NP half-way to
Kalgoorlie, WA, and further southward along the coastal hinterland,
to North-east of Perth, WA.
Western Corellas have a preference for open sclerophyl woodland.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "derbyi"
J. Greaves reports spotting a flock of thousands of Western Corellas,
race "derbyi",
near the sewage treatment works of Dalwallinu, 250 km to the North-east
of Perth, WA, in January 2016.
All sighting and photographic information presented on this page has
kindly been contributed by J. Greaves.
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Photos |
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Race "derbyi"
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ADULT |
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Lateral view of two Western Corellas (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Dalwallinu, 250 km NE of Perth, WA, January 2016]
Western Corellas studying the photographer (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Dalwallinu, 250 km NE of Perth, WA, January 2016]
Close-up near-dorsal view of a Western Corella (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Dalwallinu, 250 km NE of Perth, WA, January 2016]
Near-dorsal view of two Western Corellas (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Dalwallinu, 250 km NE of Perth, WA, January 2016]
Lateral view of a Western Corella launching itself into the air;
this shows very clearly the pinkish tint on the front, from the
head down to the undertail coverts, while the underwings and
the undertail are pale-yellow (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Dalwallinu, 250 km NE of Perth, WA, January 2016]
"Western Corella tree" (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Dalwallinu, 250 km NE of Perth, WA, January 2016]
Part of a flock of Western Corellas in flight (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Dalwallinu, 250 km NE of Perth, WA, January 2016]
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.