Concerning the origin of the name "Cockatoo":

[Nocturnal]

I've been telling people that the guy who first discovered and named cockatoos had really terrible handwriting--- he had actually written "squawk and chew", but on top of the terrible hand writing one of his living specimens had fun with the journal and by the time the remains of his research got entered into the books it had somehow been turned into "cockatoo.'

Anyway... that seems to be the only logical explanation <3

 

[Tonkatiel]

I actually have no idea how the name came about, but I'm going to go with the guess that Aboriginals (indigenous australians) named them... Same as most Australian animals (kangaroos, koalas etc)...

 

[Nocturnal]

I actually have no idea how the name came about, but I'm going to go with the guess that Aboriginals (indigenous australians) named them... Same as most Australian animals (kangaroos, koalas etc)...

I could look it up-- I"m assuming that is the true origin as well, but I prefer my version :'D

 

[gemini84]

i had never thought about this before, but i too would gave assumed the aboriginals too but i couldnt help to look it up and found it was the mayans.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockatoo

 

[MonicaMc]

Very cute!

Wikipedia has it's own explanation...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockatoo

The name cockatoo originated from the Indonesian (Malay) name for these birds, kaka(k)tua (either from kaka "parrot" + tuwah or "older sister" from kakak "sister" + tua "old").

Which explains why kakarikis, kakapos and kakas all have the same two beginning syllables as cockatoo/cockatiel. And then there is the kea... which is apparently named from the Maori for it's call.


Still interesting!

 

[U2gal]

I believe the name cockatoo came from the latin name cacatua. And that's right there with wikipedia's Indonesian name Kakaktua.

 

[gemini84]

i had never thought about this before, but i too would gave assumed the aboriginals too but i couldnt help to look it up and found it was the mayans.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockatoo

Malays, not Mayans

oops thats what i meant

 

[Nocturnal]

All very interesting, although my original post was a joke, LOL