Birds are fascinating in a lot of different ways. They can fly, sing and even talk. Pretty amusing, aren’t they? Believe it or not, there’s a bird whose name means idiot.

Galahs, a species of cockatoo, mostly live in the urban areas of Australia. These birds with flashy pink feathers and grey legs look very pretty. They are playful, especially with parrots, and they are very friendly.

That’s why they are popular as pets. Galahs can live up to 70 or 80 years of age. They are also known as the pink and grey cockatoos.

They are extremely intelligent, and they can learn a lot of difficult tricks and many new words, with some proper training.

Now, let’s take a look at the origin of their name. “Galah” originates from “gilaa”, from the Yuwaalaraay’s Aboriginal language. The funny part is that “gilaa” actually means “clown” or “idiot”. The reason why these appealing birds got this name was because of the fact that they make a lot of noise.

That’s why in Australia, people who talk very loudly are often called “galah”.

Farmers seem to have some problems with these birds, since they descend on important crops and cause a lot of loss to the farmers. Galahs fly in large groups and mate with different kinds of cockatoos.

As pets, they are considered to be high-maintenance pets, they require a lot of interaction. Galahs are active and they need a lot of exercise.

As long as provided with enough space, socializing and food, these birds can live a healthy and happy life in captivity. However, don’t forget that they are NOT quiet birds 🙂

Sources:
en.wikipedia.org
www.thesprucepets.com
lafeber.com