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How Cockatoos Evolved Is the Cockatiel a Member of the Cockatoo Family? by Linda S

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How Cockatoos Evolved Is the Cockatiel a Member of the Cockatoo Family? by Linda S How Cockatoos Evolved Is the Cockatiel a Member of the Cockatoo Family? By Linda S. Rubin RESEARCH STUDY Researchers at the University INTRODUCTION of California at Davis; David M. In the discussion of cocka- Brown, a Ph.D. student at UCLA; too evolution, it appears a long and Dr. Catherine A. Toft, pro- debate has been answered that fessor at the Center for Popula- would shed light on the cocka- tions Biology at UC Davis, con- too’s family structure, including ducted the study, “A Cockatoo’s the order and relationship of var- Who’s Who: Determining Evo- ious genera to one another and lutionary Relationships Among just how closely they are related. the Cockatoos.” The study was Pivotal to this exploration and published in volume 11, No. 2 of an adjunct to the question of the Exotic Bird Report in the Psit- cockatoo ancestry is whether the tacine Research Project of the Australian Cockatiel is an actual Department of Avian Sciences member of the cockatoo family. at the University of California at This is an important question Davis, and highlighted intrigu- not limited to cockatiel enthusi- ing new findings. asts. Should it be found that the © avian resources/steve Duncan To start, Brown and Toft Red-tailed Black Cockatoo cockatiel is indeed a cockatoo— acknowledged a lengthy history and the genera to which it is of the exhaustive work by other related is identified—perhaps some par- reproduction and various health issues researchers identifying 350 species of par- allels might be drawn that could prove (for example, weight gain can prompt a rots, beginning with Linnaeus in 1758, beneficial to cockatoo culture at large, or propensity for growing tumors and other and which revealed the following facts to some species of the cockatoo family. health issues, especially when space is before Brown and Toft began their own It is generally understood that cocka- restricted in captivity). We already know investigation. tiels are quite prolific and a greater num- these issues similarly appear to affect the First, it was found that cockatoos form ber can be reared in captivity compared Galah. A significant pool of knowledge a unique group in themselves among the to many species of cockatoos. Because in cockatiel culture has already accumu- parrots. Some of the more notable mor- cockatiels can be raised in greater num- lated over the decades and could prove phological characteristics include an erec- bers within a shorter span of time, lessons useful in providing a wider view or a ref- tile crest that can be lowered and raised at may be more quickly learned concerning erence when examining this family of will (aiding many observers to be able to husbandry and other aspects of avicul- birds. explain and interpret cockatoo body lan- ture. In some instances, this knowledge Strides in nutrition and avian medi- guage), plus a lack of dyck texture in feath- could be considered where appropri- cine have added greatly to keeping and ers that other parrots use to produce the ate, perhaps concerning some aspects of raising avian species in captivity, and blue and green colors that appear in their health, genetic predisposition to disease, cockatiels have benefitted from many plumage. husbandry, nutrition and possibly fur- formal studies and observations provid- Second, it was noted that cockatoos ther evolutionary questions involving ing noteworthy information. Addition- have traditionally been divided into two environmental adaptation. ally, cockatiel breeders throughout the major groups, the predominantly black For example, many cockatiel breed- world have established various gene pools Calyptorhynchi, Calyptorhynchus, and the ers feed low-fat diets (e.g., it does seem of cockatiels and their mutations, which predominantly white Cacatuini, includ- that cockatiels can simply “glance” at might prove informative as a reference. ing Cacatua. a seed and appear to gain 5 grams!). Fortunately for aviculturists, a unique Feeding cockatiels a diet low in fat can study was undertaken some years ago EVOLUTIONARY RELATIONSHIPS assist in preventing a shortened lifespan, to address the evolution of cockatoos, The goal of the researchers was to estab- and can help with some difficulties in which revealed some fascinating results. lish both the evolutionary relationships 8 Volume XXXVIII • Numbers 1 & 2 • 2011 between the cockatoos, and to deter- by a group that included the Gang-gang White-tailed and Glossy Cockatoo), and mine an exact hierarchal order in which Cockatoo, the Red-tailed Cockatoo and the Gang-gang Cockatoo of the genus the cockatoos descended from a common the cockatiel. Later descendants to fol- Callocephalon. cockatoo ancestor. The second question to low included the Galah, the Major Mitch- Additional research revealed that the consider was at what point in the evolu- ell’s and finally, the two groups of white white cockatoos that include the Moluc- tion did the Gang-gang, Galah and Major cockatoos. can, Blue-eyed, Greater Sulphur-crested Mitchell’s Cockatoos depart from their It was also discovered that the sexu- and Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoos common cockatoo ancestor? A major ele- ally dimorphic species that readily iden- most notably shared prominently colored ment in the research was to determine tified their gender differences such as crests, rounded wings and heavy beaks. whether a cockatiel is actually a cockatoo. the Gang-gang, Red-tailed Black and the Furthermore, the remaining group And, if it turns out that the cockatiel truly cockatiel, are in fact more closely related of white cockatoos containing the Red- is a cockatoo, to which group of cockatoos to one another than to any other species vented, Little Corella, Ducorp’s and Gof- is the cockatiel most closely related? of cockatoo. Additionally, it was specifi- fins carried shorter crests, slender wings Researchers Brown and Toft built an cally mentioned that the shared trail of and smaller beaks. evolutionary tree by sequencing a segment sexual dimorphism by the above species is Interestingly, the primarily deep pink of mitochondrial DNA (a region of the probably inherited from a common ances- cockatoos that include the Galah and ribosomal 125 gene) from 15 of 19 species tor, as opposed to evolving as an indepen- Major Mitchell’s—based on the research- of cockatoos. The researchers found that dent trait. ers’ DNA data—very likely evolved after the genetic evolutionary tree confirmed Of significant import, it was deter- the Palm Cockatoo and black cockatoo the following results. mined that the cockatiel is indeed a cock- groups (including the cockatiel), but prior It was found that the first species to atoo and is most closely related to the to the existence of the two white cocka- diverge from the common cockatoo ances- black cockatoos in the genus Calypto- too groups. This fact indicated that the tor was the Palm Cockatoo, followed rhynchus (the Red-tailed, Yellow-tailed, two white cockatoo groups did not evolve AFA Watchbird 9 on the evolutionary tree until much later considering cockatoo behaviors or other or further along. aspects of cockatoo culture. Finally, it was determined that cocka- Aviculturists can be grateful to too species that originated at the base of researchers Brown and Toft for forg- the evolutionary tree are distributed across ing the answers to these intriguing ques- Australia. It was also found that cocka- tions that once held long debate. Many too species that split from their common an aviculturist working with reproducing ancestor, evolving in more recent history, cockatiels will be surprised to learn that spread northward to New Guinea, Indo- they are, in fact, a breeder of cockatoos— nesia and the South Pacific Islands. albeit, “the littlest cockatoo.” ANOTHER COCKATOO © LinDa s. rubin FUTURE STUDIES Many cockatiel enthusiasts have long Black Palm Cockatoo To learn more about avian research regarded the cockatiel as a miniature at UC Davis, or to make a donation to cockatoo. The nominant grey cockatiel Galah Cockatoo. future projects, contact: in its wild form is more closely aligned to In more recent years two examples of The Psittacine Research Project the black cockatoos, sharing their darker a successful hybridization between the Department of Animal Science color, distinctive cheek patches and under cockatiel and the galah have produced at University of California tail-barrings. It is easy to see how the least two known “Galatiels” in two Aus- One Shields Ave. smaller, wild, dark grey cockatiel could tralian aviaries. These babies were viewed Davis, CA 95616-8521. be related to the black Red-tailed, Yellow- at conventions and verified by other avi- Linda S. Rubin has raised and kept tailed, White-tailed and Glossy Cocka- culturists and their story is documented cockatiels and parrots since 1976 and is toos sharing similar facial cheek marking, in several Australian avicultural con- the author of several books on parrots and scalloping, flecking, spottings and under- sumer magazines. Videotapes were also cockatiels at www.CockatielsPlusParrots. tail barrings. Even the mutation cockatiels released for wide viewing. com. She is founding president, genetics of today, such as the newer yellow-cheek Cockatiels share the cockatoo’s erectile consultant and a certified panel judge for and golden-cheek cockatiel mutations, crest, characteristic of all cockatoos, and the Cockatiel Foundation, Inc.; a certified among others, display the cheek markings an obvious enthrallment for endless head panel judge for the Society of Parrot Breed- of some of its larger cousins. scratching sessions, but with a bonus of ers & Exhibitors; and serves as a board Cockatiels similarly share the same vocalizing with a much quieter voice. member for the American Federation of unique powder-down feathers and lack The cockatiel—or smallest of cocka- Aviculture, Inc. of dyck feather texture that prevent them toos—with many of the characteristics of from displaying any authentic green or a large cockatoo built into a much smaller R EFERENCE blue feather colors as seen in other Psitt- “package,” make it an excellent alterna- Brown, David, M., and Toft, Catherine, A.
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