Scientists make stunning discovery while studying DNA of cockatoos: 'This finding has profound implications'

New genetic research from the University of Hong Kong has confirmed that two cockatoos believed to be the same species are actually two distinct species.

Cockatoos are a chatty bird found in the wild that are also domesticated as pets. There are more than 20 different species of cockatoo, all a part of the parrot family.

Scientists from China studied a few different cockatoos, including the critically endangered Yellow-crested cockatoo that has a wild population of just 2,000.

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The genomic analysis used in the studies confirmed that the triton cockatoo is a distinct species from the sulphur-crested cockatoo despite their similar appearances and overlapping habitat in New Guinea.

"Until now, no whole-genome research had been conducted on either species, which were identified solely by subtle morphological differences. Through two innovative studies, the team uncovered new genetic insights, reshaping our understanding of these species and offering fresh hope for their survival amid severe threats from habitat loss and illegal trapping," the university said in a press release.

"This finding has profound implications for conservation, particularly in New Guinea where both species exist and where programmes led by the Indonesian government and [non-government organizations] aim to reintroduce surrendered pet birds into the wild on the western part of the island to counter the effects of climate change, land-use change, and poaching."

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The authors of the study stressed that any future reintroduction programs need to incorporate genetic data for the best possible outcomes, and global legislation and levels of protection need to be updated to reflect their findings.

"Introducing the wrong species in the wrong place could jeopardise their long-term survival in the wild through hybridisation or competition between the triton cockatoo and the sulphur-crested cockatoo, potentially even disrupting ecosystems in the long term," said Dr. Arthur Sands, lead author of one of the studies.

The research also identified three genetically distinct groups of the yellow-crested cockatoo, which simplified its previous classification of seven subspecies. This provides new insight on the endangered cockatoo's evolution and distribution that can help inform conservation strategies and potentially save it from extinction.