Galah, Female, Morning, Victoria, Australia

(Click image to enlarge)

The word galah (pronounced /ɡəˈlɑː/) is derived from gilaa, which is a word from the Yuwaalaraay and neighbouring Aboriginal languages spoken in north-western New South Wales. The galah (Eolophus roseicapilla), is an Australian species of cockatoo and the only member of the genus Eolophus. They are less commonly known as the pink and grey cockatoo or rose-breasted cockatoo. Galahs are often found in flocks of 10 to 1,000 individuals. A small flock of them, including this one, visited a tree behind our house early on the morning I captured this photograph.

Galahs are about 35 cm (14 in) in length, weigh 270–350 g (10–12 oz), and have a wingspan of about 75 centimeters (30 inches). Males and females have a very similar appearance, but as adults the colour of their irises is different. Males have very dark brown (almost black) irises and the female has mid-brown or red irises.

Galahs have adapted to a wide variety of modified and unmodified habitats and is one of Australia's most abundant and widespread bird species. They can live more than 70 years in captIvity. Otherwise galahs are unlikely to live 20 years because they fall victim to traffic, predators, and human activities in some agricultural areas.