What Is a Group of Cockatoos Called?
A famously loud, crested parrot with a name that describes exactly what you’ll hear.
A group of cockatoos is called a chattering, with clattering, cluttering, crackle, and family also used. Cockatoos are among the loudest and most vocal parrots, so it’s fitting that most of their collective nouns describe noise.
What Is a Group of Cockatoos Called?
Chattering is the most commonly cited term, and like most cockatoo collective nouns, it’s a direct description of their near-constant, raucous vocalizing rather than a poetic flourish. Clattering and cluttering are close variants that describe the same noisy social behavior, while crackle plays on the sharp, snapping quality of their calls. Family is the outlier, describing the close-knit social bonds cockatoos form rather than their sound.
Where Did the Name Come From?
Nearly every collective noun for cockatoos describes their voice, and for good reason: cockatoos are among the loudest parrots in the world, with calls that can carry over a mile in the wild and reach painful volumes up close. Wild cockatoo flocks call loudly to stay in contact while foraging and to signal danger, which is almost certainly where terms like “chattering” and “clattering” originate.
Cockatoo Facts
- Extremely loud: cockatoos are consistently ranked among the loudest pet birds, with calls that can exceed 100 decibels.
- Long-lived: many cockatoo species can live 40–60 years or more in captivity, requiring a lifelong commitment from owners.
- Distinctive crest: cockatoos raise and lower their head crest to signal mood, from excitement to alarm.
- Strong pair bonds: cockatoos typically form long-term monogamous pairs, and both parents share incubation and chick-rearing duties.
Example Sentences
- A chattering of cockatoos filled the treetops at dawn, impossible to ignore.
- A crackle of cockatoos scattered noisily as the hikers approached.
Other Names for a Group of Cockatoos
Chattering, clattering, and cluttering all describe the same noisy social behavior with slightly different sound emphasis. Crackle leans into the sharper, snapping tone of certain calls. Family stands apart as the one term describing their close social bonds rather than their volume.
🧠 Test Your Cockatoo Knowledge
Three quick questions. See what stuck.
1. What is the most common term for a group of cockatoos?
2. What do cockatoos use their crest for?
3. How long can cockatoos live in captivity?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a group of cockatoos called?
A chattering, with clattering, cluttering, crackle, and family also used, most describing their loud calls.
Why are so many cockatoo collective nouns about noise?
Cockatoos are among the loudest parrots in the world, calling loudly in the wild to stay in contact while foraging and to signal danger.
How long do cockatoos live?
Many cockatoo species can live 40 to 60 years or more in captivity.
Do cockatoos mate for life?
Cockatoos typically form long-term monogamous pairs, with both parents sharing incubation and chick-rearing duties.
You’ll Hear Them Before You See Them
A chattering of cockatoos is a name that earns itself the moment they open their beaks.