The Rose-breast cockatoo
commonly called the Galah
belongs to the Genus Eolophus

This is a very popular pet in the USA and Europe. In the wild it is a common pest where there are many thousands to be found. Costing almost nothing in Australia even as a hand-reared pet yet it is highly valued and often can obtain the same market value as a Macaw in Europe.

Galahs have two subspecies which can be distinguished by the colour of their eye ring. The eye ring is red in the subspecies E . roseicapillus roseicapillus and is grey in the subspecies E. roseicapillus assimilis. The appearance of the two subspecies is otherwise similar and consists of a white-light pink head and crest, deep pink-red neck, chest, abdomen and legs. The wing, tail, and back are grey. Noticeably different in colour from all other Cockatoos.

Galahs are bred successfully by breeders, clutches usually consist of three to five eggs that are incubated for around 25 days. At birth the babies have a sparse covering of long pink down. These babies when hand-reared make wonderful pets. The colour is a big reason for the popularity of this medium-sized cockatoo. With its rose-pink chest, under parts, neck and face contrasting against its grey wings and tail, it is a striking bird. Breeders often remove Galah eggs as soon as they are laid and place them in incubators. Babies that have been hand-reared from day one make exceptional pets. Hand reared Galahs are very different from the cuddly hand-fed Moluccan and Umbrella Cockatoos. The Galah is very outgoing, and it is this trait that makes it somewhat independent.

The cock birds appear even darker than the females and are more common. The great majority of adult Galahs can be sexed by eye colouration and by the intensity of the red or pink colouration of the naked skin around the eye. Adult males have a darker eye colouration compared to females. The iris of the male is a dark brown (appearing almost black from a distance); while the iris of the female ranges from light brown to pinkish-red.

The Galah is prone to obesity, therefore it is very important to give this cockatoo enough space for exercise. They should be given a nutritionally balanced diet avoiding large quantities of food that contain a high percentage of fat. It is important to make sure that the diet is low in sunflower and safflower seeds (this is highly fattening for parrots). Even dry parakeet seed can make them overweight. Vegetables e.g. corn, peas, carrots and beans with the addition of a small amount of vitamins and calcium is the better diet for Galahs. Limit the amount of food you feed if the bird is gaining too much weight. Galahs do not chew like many of the other cockatoo species, but they nevertheless enjoy parrot toys which help to keep them occupied in their cages.

In the wild Galahs enjoy the rain and often hang upside down from trees to catch the raindrops. A spray with tepid water is enjoyed by these birds as they love playing in the mist.

The Galah Cockatoo has an outgoing personality when hand-reared. They are the "extroverts" of the cockatoo group. A tame Galah will encourage people to come to its cage. These birds are highly intelligent parrots and good pupils. They can be taught to mimic the human voice, but they are not among the best "talkers" of the cockatoo world. This endearing Cockatoo is becoming increasingly popular. The breeding programmes are now able to produce excellent hand-reared babies for the Pet Market.