Wildlife Eating People Food

This photo mini-essay examines unusual diet choices of wild Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, observed at Halls Gap in Victoria, Australia.

Diet Choice: CHEETOS®-brand cheese puffs

Cacatua galerita (Sulphur-crested Cockatoo) happily eating a bag of Cheetos; photo by george_seagull · December 2022 · © george_seagull · some rights reserved.

The iNaturalist community member who observed this bird, george_seagull, writes, "Please note, these are not my Cheetos" …to which @jimbobo jokingly replies, Not anymore they aren't! 😂

This cockatoo is certainly not alone in its puff preference, as there are many iNat observations of various wild bird species coveting this popular cheese snack, from grackles to warblers. Some people even claim birds prefer the "Flamin' Hot" flavor variety. Who’d have guessed it?

Diet Choice: Snakes lollies candy (and a failed attempt to acquire cigarettes)

Cacatua galerita (Sulphur-crested Cockatoo) with a stolen candy snack of snake lollies; above 2 photos by @miiralee · February 2023 · © miiralee · some rights reserved.

iNaturalist community member @miiralee witnessed this cockatoo stealing an open bag of snake lollies from a table below the tree, then eating two snakes before dropping the bag and flying off. (Snake lollies, also known as "Snakes Alive", are gummy and colorful snake-shaped jelly treats, popular in Australia.) The man who owned the pilfered candies told @miiralee that, earlier in the day, the cockatoo had already attempted to take his packet of cigarettes, but dropped it.

So don’t forget to hold on tightly at Halls Gap, as no food, treat or pleasure is safe from the grasp of the local cockatoos. Observer @miiralee explains, "Cockatoos are almost always present in the caravan park. They spend the mornings digging holes and get fed by residents in the afternoon."

Diet Choice: People-food remnants in garbage bins

Sulphur-crested Cockatoos rummaging roadside trash bins for human food scraps; above 2 photos by @miiralee · February 2023 · © miiralee · some rights reserved.

Local Halls Gap cockatoos are caught on camera once again by @miiralee who notes, "Most of the bins around town have heavy pieces of wood bolted under the lid to keep the cockatoos out. The few that don't are raided by cockatoos."

Do you want another photo added to this mini-essay?

Is there a photo of a wild Sulphur-crested Cockatoo eating people food that you’d like added to this photo mini-essay? If so, please direct message @kitemongoose’s iNat account. Not an iNat member? —Joining and adding observations is quick and completely free! iNaturalist is a worldwide citizen science collaboration between National Geographic and the California Academy of Sciences, that enables anyone to make and add observations that benefit science by uploading photos they’ve taken themselves, of (primarily wild) organisms they’ve observed firsthand.

To be added to this cockatoo essay, the observation must meet the requirements of the Wildlife Eating People Food iNat project, including:
"…do not add an observation if the wildlife depicted has been given such food by you or someone you know (willingly)."
More details can be found under the "About" section of the Wildlife Eating People Food project home page.

Last updated: April 12th, 2023 by @kitemongoose

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