Description:

The eyespot crested cockatoo (Neocacatua oculicristas) is a cockatoo species endemic to the Australian continent. These birds are relatively conservative compared to other animals in the Novicene. Their ancestor was the sulfur-crested cockatoo (Cacatua galerita), inferred from its DNA and general morphology. These parrots likely didn't need to evolve much past the Holocene-Anthropocene boundary due to the conditions of their environment. They are 45 to 60 centimeters long from head to tail and weigh about 0.9 to 1 kilogram. They are almost pure white except for their head crest. This head crest is yellow at the top, dark brown at the bottom, and an eye-like patch in the brown section of the feathers. These birds tend to live 20 years in the wild, but they can live up to 60 under human care.

Distribution:

These animals inhabit the wooded savanna and shrubland of the Great Australian Plain. They also generally live in temperate forests and tropical forests of Australia.

Diet:

These animals eat a variety of seeds, fruit, nuts, flowers, and grasses. Their diverse diet allows them to be highly adaptable to environmental conditions.

Reproduction:

Like their ancestor, these birds lay their eggs in hollow trees. Typically, a female cockatoo lays up to six eggs. The father and mother cockatoo both brood and care for the eggs until they hatch within a month. Both parents are also responsible for caring for the chicks. The chicks are born with few feathers, including a tiny crest on the top of their heads. The chicks are raised for 11 weeks until they survive independently. Once they do develop, they will attempt to fly from the nest and are no longer reliant on their parents.

Eyespots:

The eyespot of the head of the bird is often considered the oddest part of this animal's physical appearance. Scientists theorized that the crest was a form of intimidation, mimicking a larger predator. This theory had several problems with it. One issue was that no animal native to the Australian continent comes close to having an eye similar to the cockatoo's crest coloration. Another issue was that predators did not seem to be particularly scared or defensive around similar eye patterns. Some of their natural predators, including the Australian hawkpie, were introduced to patterns identical to the cockatoos' eyespot in a controlled setting. There was almost no aggressive, defensive, or flight response in the animals tested. The next theory was that this eyespot was a form of automimicry. After intense observation and ground research, this eyespot seemed to reduce the accuracy of aerial predators. Oftentimes, predatory birds target the eyespot instead of the actual head. This adaptation then allows more adult cockatoos to escape predators, which lets them pass their genes on and breed.