The following version of this book was used to create the guide: White, Patrick. The Cockatoos. The Text Publishing Company, 2019.

Patrick White's The Cockatoos is a collection of six short stories. Each of the collected stories possesses its own distinct form, style, and structure. The following summary presents a streamlined synopsis of each story and relies upon the present tense.

In "A Woman's Hand," Evelyn and Harold Fazackerley take a walk on Bandana Beach. They run into Harold's old school friend Clem Dowson and he invites them into his small, wooden home. Throughout the Fazackerley's visit, Evelyn notices a connection between Harold and Clem. She remembers the last time she interacted with Clem when they invited him to join them on their vacation, and resents him for what happened. Not long after the Fazackerley's Bandana Beach visit, Evelyn comes home and announces that she ran into her old friend Nesta Pine and thinks that she and Harold should set up Nesta and Clem. Harold goes along with the plan, although he still has feelings for Clem. Shortly after Clem and Nesta meet, they elope. Not long later, Clem dies in an accident and Nesta is hospitalized. Instead of dealing with these tragedies, the Fazackerleys leave town on vacation.

In "The Full Belly," Costa Iordanou lives in German-occupied Greece with his two elderly aunts, his sister, and his brother-in-law. Ever since the occupation, Costa and his family have been starving. Costa often tries to distract himself from his hunger by playing the piano. One day, he ventures into town in search for food and ends up stealing a bowl of rice from the local church. When he brings it home, he and his ailing aunt wrestle for the food.

In "The Night the Prowler," Felicity Bannister is lying in bed one night when a strange man climbs into her window and attacks her. Felicity sees an opportunity in the unexpected scenario and tries to instigate sexual intimacy with the man. When he loses his erection, she takes him downstairs for a drink. Then she slashes her nightgown and cuts herself before the man leaves. When her mother finds her, she is convinced Felicity was raped. Not long later, Felicity breaks off her engagement with John Galbraith, as the attack made her realize she does not really love him. Then she starts to sneak out at night and break into other people's homes, destroying their furniture and valuables. One night, she ends up in an ailing man's home and ends up talking to him until he passes away.

In "Five-Twenty," retired couple Ella and Royal Natwick spend every evening watching the traffic pass down their road. One night, Ella notices that the same man driving the same pink Holden passes at 5:20 every evening. She starts to watch for him whenever she and Royal are on the porch. Not long later, Royal dies. Shortly thereafter, the Holden driver stops by to use Ella's telephone and Ella invites him back for coffee the next day. When the driver finally shows up, he is late and sick. He collapses in Ella's garden and dies.

In "Sicilian Vespers," Ivy and Charles Simpson vacation in Sicily. However, Charles is laid up in bed with a toothache. In the meantime, Ivy meets an American couple called Imelda and Clark Shacklock. One day, Charles urges Ivy to spend the day how she likes while he rests. Ivy and Clark end up taking a drive and visiting San Fabrizio together. In the duomo, they have sex during evening vespers. The next morning, Ivy tries to write Clark a note, but he and Imelda have abruptly left the hotel.

In "The Cockatoos," Olive and Mick Davoren have not spoken in seven years. Olive instated the silence after Mick let her pet bird die. In the meantime, Mick has been sleeping with their neighbor, Busby Le Cornu. Busby does not feel guilty about the affair, and sees Mick as an innocent pastime. Then one day, another neighbor starts shooting the wild cockatoos and ends up killing Mick. Olive and Busby experience their own versions of grief.