Very commonly in Australian English the word galah is used to refer to a fool or idiot. Marshall and Drysdale in Journey among Men (1962), suggest that this sense of galah may have a non-Australian origin: 'A clue to the possible origin of the slang usage of `galah'. - In Malaya gila (pronounced gee-lah) means mad; hence orang gila, a madman'.

But this explanation has not been accepted, and the Australian meaning must be a transfer from the bird, no doubt incorporating a judgment about the relative intelligence of the bird. 

This is why some (but not all) Australians call the Roseate cockatoo the 'Galah' meaning fool or idiot.
From the Oxford Talking Dictionary

1. A very common Australian cockatoo, Eolophus roseicapillus with a pink breast and grey back. Also called rose-breasted cockatoo.

2. A fool, a simpleton. (Austral. slang)

  Not a complimentary term of endearment.

This is actually what some Australians think of their native Roseate cockatoo. It is classed as a 'pest' in many areas and this is why they kill this cockatoo (and many other cockatoos, lories etc) - supposedly under licence only.

The Roseate Cockatoo originates from Australia, its range now covers most of the continent.

This fact has only come about within the last 30 years or so because their natural habitat has been cleared/logged for agricultural use (corn in the main), thus providing this cockatoo with a seemingly never ending food supply.

This in turn enabling the cockatoos to produce more young and so on... 'If there has been a cockatoo explosion over recent decades it is man made'.

Australia does permit the slaughter of these birds. They attract them by spilling grain at loading facilities, then they slaughter the birds (shooting and clubbing) because they strip the nice lines of exotic trees the council has planted on its main roads.

Flocks of Corellas are gassed for similar reasons.Visit our page:

COCKATOO CULLING - DID YOU KNOW?

There are two sub-species of the Roseate (roseicapillus), These being assimilis and kuhli. 

Roseates are approximately 13 inches from head to tail with a small helmet type crest which only becomes visible when the bird is excited

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Males have a dark brown to black eye colour and the females have a reddish brown eye colour, this visible difference only becomes apparent when the birds reach two years old upwards.

Wild Flocks

In Australia they can be seen in flocks of many hundreds and are a spectacular site to witness, even in the cities they can be seen in the parks foraging for food.
They have proved to be fairly prolific breeders in captivity, their clutch size is usually 3 or 4 eggs.

One other major point to bear in mind with the Roseate cockatoo is that they are very prone to obesity if fed an incorrect diet. Which can lead to major health problems such as fatty cysts and death due to heart failure.

Their diet should consist of only maybe a handful of small seeds per bird with the major part of the diet being fruit and vegetables. (For a list of suitable fruit and vegetables see our page Parrot Diet, please read this page carefully.) 

This is even more important if Roseate cockatoos cannot, or are not able to fly for whatever reason. Therefore their flight feathers should not be clipped restricting their ability to exercise. 

Aviary Birds

As aviary birds they are truly delightful, being very playful. Flights should be no less than 12 feet in length and this is minimal, the larger the better.

As discussed on other pages, if you cannot provide the necessary environment for your birds to keep them healthy and happy e.g. good diet with space to exercise, do not keep the birds at all.

Parent reared Roseates are not particularly nervous as some white cockatoos are. They do spend a fair amount of time on the ground foraging for food and bits of wood. Regular cleaning of the aviary is necessary and worming as a precaution, is recommended. 

They love to fly and exercise, and watching them bathe in the rain, as with most cockatoos; is one of the best sights you will see.