Illustration of cockatoo
cockatoo
noun
cock·a·too
ˈkä-kə-ˌtü 
plural cockatoos
: any of various large noisy chiefly Australasian crested parrots (family Cacatuidae and especially genus Cacatua)
Examples of cockatoo in a Sentence
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Hoping to learn more about the learned behavior, researchers set up trail cameras to capture video of the cockatoos drinking, according to the study.
—
Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 5 June 2025
Australia’s suburban-dwelling cockatoos are adept at picking up new skills.
—Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 June 2025
This has interesting parallels to an earlier study on bin-opening in cockatoos where 54% of attempts by marked birds were successful, suggesting similarities in either their physical difficulty or time taken to learn.
—New Atlas, 4 June 2025
But this particular glass squid observed during the descent held its arms loosely above its head in a maneuver called a cockatoo pose, which has been observed previously in glass squids.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cockatoo
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Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 5 June 2025
Australia’s suburban-dwelling cockatoos are adept at picking up new skills.
—Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 June 2025
This has interesting parallels to an earlier study on bin-opening in cockatoos where 54% of attempts by marked birds were successful, suggesting similarities in either their physical difficulty or time taken to learn.
—New Atlas, 4 June 2025
But this particular glass squid observed during the descent held its arms loosely above its head in a maneuver called a cockatoo pose, which has been observed previously in glass squids.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cockatoo
Cite this Entry
“Cockatoo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cockatoo. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cockatoo
noun
cock·a·too
ˈkäk-ə-ˌtü
plural cockatoos
: any of various large noisy usually showy chiefly Australasian parrots that have a bunch of feathers on the head
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