White cockatoos in NT develop taste for durians.

[pagnr]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2023-11-12/white-cockatoos-get-a-taste-for-smelly-durian/103078058?fbclid=IwAR0UHtEfLMCXdqwNmgmBYX_eOtAFV02JaKP2qF45BAkHS2jSIRY3O98gLkk

White cockatoos in the Top End develop taste for durians.

[fruit nerd]

In 2022, the cockatoos were getting into a lot of people's durian around where I live and causing a lot of damage. There's durian dropping now and I haven't noticed any cockatoos or heard of anyone having problems with them at the moment. Interesting.

[Daintree]

Well it makes sense that they would go for it once one of them discovered it was "food". The word spread.  And since parrots and relatives have very few taste buds, a poor sense of smell, and can't taste "heat", durian probably just tastes like another veggie to them.

[fruit nerd]

I was under the impression that they were just after the seeds? I can confirm that the cockatoos absolutely love citrus and rambutans.

[cassowary]

The hundred monkey syndrome.

In FNQ I have obseverved cockatoos eating the durian flesh also.

But according to one source apperently they have not touched durio dulcis yet.
Maybe it’s the red color?

Cockatoos are less likely to go for very spiky durian, the ones with thin long spikes. Idk maybe it’s just harder to open for them.