Beak performance: cable-chomping birds add to NBN headaches

Yellow-crested cockatoos have already caused $80,000 in damage to Australia's national broadband network wiring

Australia's $36bn national broadband network, already under attack from underwhelmed customers, has found a new and formidable enemy - cockatoos are chewing through cables across the country.

Repairing the damage wrought on the broadband system, including replacing steel-braid wires that the pesky parrots have gnawed, has already cost $80,000, NBN Co said on Friday.