lirralirra

It was pure joy to watch this Gang-gang Cockatoo family allopreening each other.

I’ve been thinking a lot about families this week so am sharing this exquisite family of snuggling Gang-gang Cockatoos. The juvenile male is starting to grow his wispy red head feathers, and is snuggled between his parents. It was super cute to watch them preening each other, allopreening, and I was rapt to capture this shot of the juvenile preening his mother’s feathers – it’s the avian equivalent of a toddler hugging its mother while the father keeps watch.

Allopreening occurs with many species and is a form of social grooming that helps develop and maintain bonding. It is quite beautiful to watch. In the second photograph the gang-gangs had moved into the dappled light on another branch; the adult male is preening the juvenile male.

Happy birding, Kim

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