Critically endangered yellow-crested cockatoos have found an unexpected sanctuary among Hong Kong’s skyscrapers, but urban life poses challenges for the birds, which rely on tree cavities for nesting. Native to Indonesia and East Timor, the snow-white cockatoos with yellow crests make up roughly 10 per cent of the species’ global population of around 2,000 mature birds.
Research shows the city’s cockatoo population has stagnated as typhoons and government tree trimming reduce natural nesting spaces. To help, conservationists have installed artificial nest boxes across the city. Astrid Andersson, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Hong Kong, said a pair of birds had already settled in a box on campus, with plans to expand to 50 boxes in the coming years to support urban nesting.
Globally, the species has suffered from habitat loss and the illegal pet trade. The International Union for Conservation of Nature estimates up to 90 per cent of yellow-crested cockatoos have disappeared since 1978, primarily due to trapping for pets. Weak enforcement of Indonesia’s 1994 export ban and deforestation have worsened the situation. Climate change further threatens the birds, with rising temperatures drying forests and increasing fire risks.
Hong Kong’s cockatoos may descend from escaped or released pets, with some stories tracing their origins to birds released by a British governor in 1941. While commercial trading of wild-caught cockatoos is banned in Hong Kong, captive-bred sales are allowed under CITES, though no registered operations currently exist. Prices for chicks in the city can reach over €1,500, and forensic testing is being developed to distinguish wild birds from captive-bred ones.
Conservationists say Hong Kong’s urban cockatoos demonstrate how humans and wildlife can coexist. Andersson hopes the city’s population can contribute to the species’ survival, with cameras in nest boxes set to study reproductive behaviour—a critical yet little-understood aspect of the cockatoos’ ecology. Local conservationist Harry Wong, observing cockatoos occupy a newly installed nest box, said, “We can create small things in the city that allow the animals who live here to coexist with us.”
