Breeding adult: pale gray upperparts; black wing tip with white mirrors on outer 1–2 primaries. Staring pale-yellow eyes set off by red orbital ... molt and bleaching; underwings mostly white.

Like most cockatoos, the abukay has an entirely white plumage but what sets it apart from the rest is its red undertail coverts tipped in white, a yellowish undertail, and pale-yellow underwings.