Some species of cockatoos range as far north as the Philippines. The members of the family Cacatuidae vary tremendously in size and appearance, from the small, familiar cockatiel to the large, rare palm cockatoo.
Most people think of cockatoos as white birds with yellow crest, but there are also black cockatoos.
These black species are rare and expensive, and most specimens are kept as exhibit in wildlife parks, zoos or other public attractions. The umbrella or white-crested cockatoo is beginning to win popularity as a pet because of its relatively low price and its gentle nature. Goffin s cockatoo has recently beome more available because of the destruction of its natural habitat in Indonesia, due to development for commercial interests. The red-vented cockatoo, native to the Philippines, is also seasonally available, mostly because of its propensity for destroying cultivated fields. All cockatoos are fond of feeding on farmland crops, especially corn.