The Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla), also known as the Rose-breasted Cockatoo is a commonly found Australian cockatoo that has a rose-pink head, neck and underparts, with paler pink crown, and grey back, wings and undertail.
Like most cockatoos it is a rather loud and sociable bird. In fact in Australia, galah is a derogatory term that means a loud-mouthed idiot or fool. Like most cockatoos too, it roost in tree cavities and gather as a group in the evenings and early mornings. The sexes can be differentiated easily by their irises colour. The males has dark brown irises, while the female have pink irises.
I managed to find a group of them while on vacation in Queensland in September 2012, and took some pictures and made some observations.
Photo Gallery
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- This male has been observed to be feeding on corn kernels that have been spread out on open ground, probably by the landowner. The background is the blue sea as we were on an island.
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- The female is a smaller bird, with pink irises. The Galahs bond for life, so it was foraging with its male mate.
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- The flight shot of the Galah. They tend to fly around as a flock but I can only fit a single bird in frame.
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- The pink pattern of the underwing that is only shown while flying.
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- In the evening, the Galahs communally gather on trees. This one is shown with wing spread with the warm tones of the setting sun.
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- A male eating some grass in the evening. They are rather approachable if one does not make sudden movements. The even lighting in the evening made for a naturally more vivid picture.