The yellow feathers are behind the white and are often not seen until the crest is raised. Yellow can also be seen under the wings and tail feathers. They get their name from the striking blue rings around their eyes, a distinctive feature to be sure. The beak of the Blue Eyed Cockatoo is black. Males and females can often be distinguished by eye color.
Males traditionally have a black iris, while the female's tends to be reddish.
The Blue Eyed Cockatoo is native to the forests of New Britain, New Ireland, and the Bismarck Archipelago. This species breeds in mating pairs, and usually mate May and October. A nest box measuring 40 x 40 x 100 cm is recommended. After mating, the female will lay to one or two eggs, which will hatch in about 28 days. Hatchlings usually fledge by their tenth month.