Cockatoo: photo, care and maintenance at home, description

The charming, charismatic, talented cockatoo parrot has collected a lot of conflicting reviews. On the one hand, this is a very smart and funny bird that is interesting to communicate with. But at the same time, you need to devote all your time to your pet, since the parrot loves to be the center of attention and painfully endures loneliness. Faced with such a feature of the crested bird, many cannot stand the obsessive temperament. In this article you will receive all the information about the life of a cockatoo in the wild and at home, and also learn how to deal with an impudent ward and raise him correctly.

History of the species

In the scientific classification of birds, the cockatoo family first appeared in the middle of the 18th century, when the French scientist Mathurin-Jacques Brisson proposed the name Cacatua for it, similar to the next step - the genus. Initially, the genus Cacatua contained five species, later 16 more were added to it.

After 1840, the classification underwent changes thanks to the British zoologist George Robert Gray. He placed the cockatoo in the subfamily Cacatuinae of the family Psittacidae. The type taxon became the genus Cacatua.

Currently, there are 21 species of the genus Cockatoo, some of which are listed in the Red Book. The natural habitat is the eastern territories of the southern hemisphere of the Earth: Australia, New Guinea and New Zealand, as well as the Solomon Islands.

The origin of the name “cockatoo” is associated with the peculiarity of the bird’s appearance. The powerful beak, reminiscent of wire cutters, is noteworthy. The Malay word for kusaka is kakatuwah. Naturalists adapted the term they heard, and it entered European languages ​​in the form of “cacatua”.

What do they eat?

The cockatoo menu is based on the following rules:

• a balanced diet with the presence of all necessary nutrients of plant and animal origin;
• high quality feed, its freshness;
• variety of food composition;
• change in nutrition depending on the condition of the bird (molting, nesting, etc.).

Diet of a cockatoo parrot
In their natural environment, parrots feed mainly on plant foods - cereals, fruits, nuts, and less often vegetables, but do not disdain small animals:

• lizards;
• insect larvae;
• worms.

The omnivorous nature of birds makes it easier to approach the formation of a diet when keeping them at home. But cockatoos may have their own individual dietary needs that need to be studied and taken into account.

For busy owners, there is an assortment of ready-made food for medium and large-sized parrots, which includes cereals, oil seeds, and mineral supplements.

For animal food, these parrots are content with chicken bones with cartilage and a hard-boiled egg. You can give them some dry cat or dog food.

Cockatoos should not be fed plants with a high content of phytoncides and essential oils (dill, onions, etc.), fruits such as papaya, persimmon and avocado.

What should you not feed your Cockatoo parrot?

From cereals, slightly damp (so as not to stick to your hands and clump) crumbly porridges are cooked from a mixture of rice and buckwheat in equal proportions. Parrots eat soaked peas and beans, dry corn (with less enthusiasm), but if they are given fresh legume pods or a milk corn cob cut into pieces, their joy will know no bounds.

The type of food used is mash - a mixture of raw and boiled foods of various types, containing the required amount of vitamins, microelements and calories. The good thing about mash is that it takes into account nutritional habits at different ages and the condition of the bird. It is more convenient to prepare it when there are at least two parrots in the house, because 2 tablespoons of such food is enough for a day, and it should always be fresh.

By the way, it is necessary to observe caloric intake: parrots suffer more from overfeeding than from hunger, since the owner always pays attention to their appearance: “Poor thing, he’s lost so much weight.” And a fat, overfed bird is perceived by some as a sign of good care. Meanwhile, a young cockatoo eats three small meals a day, while an adult is limited to two meals a day.

Yellow-crested cockatoo - All about the parrot species | Parrot species - yellow-crested cockatoo

The water must be fresh and clean. Despite the fact that it is difficult to call cockatoos tidy and after eating there is a lot of garbage and scraps of food left behind, they refuse to drink water if there are particles of food in it. Therefore, the water must be changed and the drinking bowl washed. The feeder should also be cleaned as often as possible.

Description of the cockatoo parrot

Each member of the Cockatoo genus is a large, stocky bird with a large head and a dense build.

What does a cockatoo look like?

• Body weight is 300-1200 g depending on the species, age and gender.
• Body size 40-70 cm from beak to tip of tail.
• The parrot's lower limbs are short and stable; wide paws are equipped with sharp curved claws.
• The tail is short in length and rounded or spade-shaped.
• The color of the iris in males is almost black, in females it is red-brown.

A striking feature of the bird’s appearance is its wide curved beak, which folds into a “lock”, like the jaw bucket of a loader. The horny tissue of the beak has an amazing margin of safety. The parrot uses its beak as a third limb or auxiliary tool for movement, protection, and obtaining food.

The “calling card” of a cockatoo is its crest. By the elongated feathers descending from the crown of the neck to the neck, you can easily recognize a cockatoo among other parrots. The crest serves as a way for the bird to express emotions: in a calm state it lies on the back of the head, but if the parrot is excited, the crest unfolds like a fan. In most birds, the crest is a different color from the main plumage.

Did you know? The cockatoo genus is interesting because these parrots lack blue and green feathers. Most colors are based on white, pink and gray, with some species having an accent shade of black.

Lemon-crested or orange-crested cockatoos

This species lives on the islands of Indonesia. The lemon-crested cockatoo's crest is orange. In appearance they are similar to yellow-crested cockatoos, but more slender and graceful. Males differ from females in eye color: females are brown and males are black.

Orange-crested cockatoos are demanding of attention; if they do not enjoy communication with their owner, they become offended and scream loudly. It is recommended to keep them in pairs.

When kept alone, they become very attached to a person, require attention, the lack of which they get offended and scream a lot, so it is better to keep them in pairs.

Habitat

Fans of exotic birds know on which continent cockatoos live. The natural range is limited to Australia and nearby archipelagos. 11 species live on the mainland, representatives of seven species can be found in Indonesia, the Philippines and the Solomon Islands. Three species are found both on the islands of New Guinea and on the continent. The easiest way to say where Goffin's cockatoo lives is that it inhabits only the Tanimbar island group. However, a few individuals were introduced to Singapore, where they multiplied and established a population outside their natural range.

Judging by the distribution area, each species has its own habitat. Some crested parrots choose open landscapes, others live in rain forests, and others prefer urban areas. Indonesian cockatoos live in wetlands. Nomadic species remain in southwestern Australia during the nesting season, and move to cool coastal zones in the summer.

Peculiarities of habits

Temperament and curiosity are the main characteristics of cockatoos. When kept at home, this transforms into love and mischief. The first is accompanied by either frequent repetition of the name (oneself or the owner - it doesn’t matter), or frantic screams when emotions overwhelm.

Sabotage activities take place in complete silence, because cockatoos understand perfectly well what they will be praised for and what they will be scolded for. Therefore, you need to keep in mind: if a parrot is silent during the day, it is either sick or damaging your property.

But nature takes its course, so if you want to prevent your cockatoo from becoming a hypochondriac and hysterical (especially for males), make him a spacious cage and equip it with a very reliable lock.

Why shouldn't you get a cockatoo?

Otherwise, one not very beautiful morning you will find that your cute parrot is sitting in his open cage, as if nothing had happened, and in the room there is a painting “We took a walk...”

These include chewed baseboards with torn wallpaper, damaged furniture and shoes, and in the most tragic cases, broken wiring.

At the same time, the cockatoo himself looks completely satisfied and pretends that he does not understand what expenses he has put you through. And he sticks his head out: pet me, I’m good.

If your parrot has a tendency to escape, do not skimp on the quality of the cage material. The powerful beak of a cockatoo will allow it to bite through a wire that is not stiff enough and cut a window into the free world for itself without much effort.

Sometimes cockatoos have bouts of bad mood. This can be determined by unusual behavior. At such a moment, it is better to serve him his favorite treat, but very carefully, and under no circumstances try to pet him. They bite mercilessly and without any warning. In this case, the person receives very serious injuries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jquTyqszrjA

It has been noted that the larger the bird, the louder the sounds it makes.

Lifestyle in nature

Cockatoos are characterized by a gregarious way of living. The flock is formed according to the family type, increasing over time due to the emerging offspring. A group of birds moves within the region or leads a sedentary lifestyle. Birds fly well, but move on the ground slowly, with clumsy steps. The parrot climbs trees much faster, clinging with its beak and jumping from branch to branch.

Cockatoos are herbivorous birds. Their diet includes seeds, nuts, fruits and bark of fruit trees, and tubers. Certain species of parrots consume specific foods, while others have a wide menu. For example, the black cockatoo prefers casuarina cones and macadamia nuts. Most crested birds love to feast on corn cobs, making daring raids on farmland. Before the breeding season, all parrots eat insects, larvae, even small rodents.

The parrot eats fruits directly on the tree. It picks the fruit, holds it with its paw, and uses its beak to gnaw out the juicy pulp in search of seeds. The tormented fruit is thrown to the ground and moves on to the next one. To diversify its diet with roots and grass seeds, the bird descends to the foot of the trunk, but feels uncomfortable there. In this regard, the feeding method is curious: while one part of the flock obtains food and fills its crops, the other parrots provide security. Then the groups change.

Breeding

Cockatoos have a rather difficult time getting along with each other, so it is best to purchase a pair of young birds of different sexes and keep them together until they mature; in this case, the formation of a strong couple is most likely. For the same reasons, it is quite difficult to find a mate for a cockatoo that has lost its partner.

V.A. Grinev describes the amazing life of free-living large yellow-crested cockatoos in Askania-Nova: “In the Askania-Nova reserve at the beginning of this century, a pair of large yellow-crested cockatoos, in conditions of absolute freedom, bred 2 chicks for 2 years in a row, and these 6 large white birds flew for several years feed on fields of wheat, barley, oats, etc. Like pigeons, they stayed in a flock all the time.” There is evidence of the breeding of this species under artificial conditions by S.K. Gulbe and A.P. Gileva.

This happened at the Riga Zoo in the period 1983-1985. A pair of birds were placed in a room consisting of two adjacent enclosures - an external one and an insulated internal one. These authors consider the presence of high air humidity in the interior, not lower than 80%, to be an important condition for the reproduction of parrots. Indeed, in dry rooms, the shell shells dry out, their gas permeability decreases, as a result of which the embryos die. The nest house was small (38x34x34 cm), made of thick multilayer plywood, with a 10x12 cm entrance. At the bottom of the house there was a layer of sawdust. Over the course of three nesting seasons, the birds laid eggs in November, August and July. Each clutch contained 2 eggs. In the first clutch, one egg was unfertilized, and in the second, the embryo died. But the second and third nestings ended successfully: each time the birds raised two chicks.

Proper nutrition

The authors also consider proper feeding of cockatoos to be an important factor in successful bird breeding. The birds were given soft and grain feed; the diet per bird consisted of the following components: boiled egg (1/4 part), rice porridge (15 g), boiled meat (20) and corn (15), wheat bread (15), sweet fruits (50), vegetables (30), berries (50), greens and milk (30 each), cottage cheese (10), dried fruits and compote (40 each), walnuts (20), sunflower (10), oats (20), wheat (15 ), corn (20), sprouted grain (10 g). Calcium, phosphorus and microelements, vitamins A, D3, E were always added to the food. Lump salt, shells, chalk and gravel were constantly present in the enclosure. Assessing this rich diet, it should be recognized that many breeders do not give pure salt to their birds, believing that it can harm them. You can also recommend giving parrots twig food. They not only serve as a source of additional vitamins, but also give the pet something to do, distracting him from the boring sitting on his little seat.

Cockatoo cage

Cockatoos have a very powerful beak and this must be taken into account when purchasing a cage. The cage should be large and spacious so that the parrot can flap its wings freely. The cage must be closed with a large, reliable lock; the cockatoo is very smart and can open simple locks in no time. The rods are very strong and thick. Dimensions: width – 80 cm: height – 90 cm; length – 80 cm; The cage should contain branches for gnawing and calcium for grinding down the beak. The cage should be located in a well-lit room and closed from drafts.

Cockatoo feeding

Proper feeding is of great importance for proper development and growth. The main diet for cockatoos is grain mixtures. Try to diversify your cockatoo's diet. The grain feed should consist of millet of various varieties, buckwheat, canary seed, some nuts, seeds and hemp.

• Fruits for the parrot. Strawberries, raspberries, pears, rose hips and apples are suitable for cockatoos. Not all parrots eat fruit right away - they need to be taught. It is better to cut large fruits so that the parrot can take a piece in its paw. Leftover fruit must be removed every day.
• Vegetables for the parrot. Parrots can be given carrots, cucumbers, eggplants and celery. Dandelion roots will work well. Green beans and pea pods, red beets, fennel and other vegetables.
• Animal food. Protein plays a big role for cockatoos. It is better to feed boiled chicken meat. In addition, cockatoos can be given yogurt, cottage cheese, and cheese.

Cockatoos may refuse any food except sunflower seeds, but it is necessary to accustom the birds to a variety of foods. This is easier to do when transferring the chicks to an adult diet. Limit your pink cockatoo's fat intake to reduce the risk of tumors.

Toys

Cockatoos need visual variety and intellectual stimulation. Toys will help satisfy the needs of these curious beaks and give them the opportunity to independently entertain themselves and develop, but they should not be meaningless. The “right” toys for cockatoos are those that make you want to take them apart (pyramids, puzzles), sort them out, untie knots, toss them (rings, balls) and make sounds (bells, rattles). Toys must be made from safe materials: wood, coconut or sisal fiber, or hard plastic.

Diseases

Self-plucking is one of the most common, painful and unpleasant diseases of cockatoos, which can be caused by:

• In most cases, an unbalanced and monotonous diet, in which several specific components predominate (for example, sunflower seeds), this leads to metabolic disorders in the body and, as a result, to self-plucking.
• Treating a parrot with ointment. A feather smeared with a greasy substance loses its properties, so the bird tries to clean it and if it fails, it simply pulls it out. Accordingly, if the ointment is applied to a large area of ​​the plumage, the parrot will not calm down until the entire affected area is eliminated.
• Environmental factors: room temperature too high or too low, humidity, close proximity to a strong light source, or inability to swim.
• If the cockatoo does not have a mate: boredom and lack of communication.
• External parasites: lice eaters, pereaters, scabies mites, fungi and others. The real probability of a “domestic” parrot becoming infected with ectoparasites is minimal, because indoor birds have no contact with wild fauna.

Self-plucking is dangerous because it can turn into a habit that not only brings pain to the bird and deprives it of its plumage, but is also harmful to health. The feather follicle often bleeds, this bothers the bird and excites others who are in the same cage; sometimes self-plucking leads to cannibalism.

It is almost impossible to establish the cause and independently prescribe effective treatment at home. A bird with self-plucking syndrome needs qualified examination and treatment.

Reproduction

The ability to procreate in cockatoos appears at the age of 3-7 years, and in males much later than in females. This is a positive factor, because an adult, experienced bird is more reliable in terms of caring for its family. Parrots nest once a year. A pair is formed on the initiative of the male, who touchingly cares for the chosen female: “kisses” her beak, smoothes her feathers, scratches her head. Trying to please his partner, he spreads his tuft, dances and constantly coos.

Having created a pair, the parrots begin building a nest. Natural cavities in large trees are where cockatoos live during the breeding season. The bird cannot independently hollow out a depression inside the trunk, but is able to expand the finished cavity with its beak and paws. For such hollows, the male has to compete with his relatives, and sometimes even evict small animals from their homes.

The male prepares the nest, covering it with twigs, wood chips, leaves, and grass. When the excavation is ready, the female occupies the nest and soon lays two to five eggs. After 20-29 days of incubation, blind chicks appear, covered with sparse down. After 2-3 months, the young begin to fly, but remain under parental care for several years. As soon as parrots mature sexually, they go into independent life, but do not leave the flock.

Inca cockatoo chicks

Interesting observation! There is a strong opinion that cockatoos are monogamous. However, in nature, not all crested parrots create a family for the rest of their lives. Often, after hatching the chicks, the birds lose affection for each other, and the pair breaks up.

Character of a cockatoo: behavior in a flock and with the owner

These parrots cannot live alone. In the wild, they live in large flocks of up to 100 individuals. In lean years, several flocks unite and migrate to areas rich in food. In captivity, a cockatoo chick considers a human partner as its partner. He shares his joys and sorrows with him, shows his tenderness towards him and tries to take care of him in his own way. If the owner spends little time with the bird or often leaves it alone for a long time, from boredom and abandonment it becomes ill and begins to tear out feathers. This pathology can lead to the death of the pet.

Cockatoo parrots are very sentimental. In a flock, they maintain communication with relatives and carefully look after their relatives. Their spectacular plumage is a credit to their affectionate relationships with other members of the species. The gentle nature of the cockatoo allows it to find a partner within the flock. As a rule, close contact between birds occurs long before the mating season. They become attached to each other and become fast friends. And when it’s time to have offspring, they find a common home. There are cases where birds were left alone after the death of their partner.

Breeders often complain about the loudness of these birds. Crested birds really love to express their emotions loudly. With a characteristic cry, they can demonstrate both joy and anger. Pets also use a loud voice to attract the owner’s attention. Often it is screaming that becomes a tool of manipulation. The cockatoo bird, realizing that the sounds it makes are unpleasant to humans, uses them to get forbidden food, a thing that is not given to it, or to leave the cage.

The vices of these parrots also include vindictiveness and a desire to bite. These birds are famous for their good memory. Those who offend, tease or hurt them will definitely pay for what they have done at some point. The cockatoo parrot, having caught the moment, will punish the offender with a traumatic bite. While other birds of the parrot family can only pinch a finger, these large pets are capable of tearing out a large piece of meat and breaking a phalanx. However, if the owner does not harm the bird, takes good care of it and follows safety rules when handling it, he has nothing to fear.

Cockatoo species

There are 21 species in the Cacatuidae family, each of which is characterized by a specific color.

The most famous species of cockatoos with descriptions:

1. Great yellow-crested. One of the largest in the family. The size of the bird tends to 50 cm, weight is about a kilogram. The feathers are white with a golden tint, and the narrow crest is yellow. The parrot learns well and performs complex tricks. He is popular due to his outstanding abilities: he can change his voice beyond recognition, reproduce various sounds and melodies.

   
   Greater yellow-crested cockatoo

2. Great white-crested (Alba white cockatoo). The bird is medium in size - approximately 40 cm and 600 grams. Snow-white plumage covers the entire body. There is a wide white crest with rounded tips, similar to a flower bud. The intelligent parrot is incredibly artistic and can imitate human speech.

   
   Great white-crested cockatoo

3. Pink (Gala cockatoo). Better known by the names "clown" or "fool", which he was given for his strange behavior. The back and wings are gray, the belly, head and neck are red. The crest is light pink. It grows up to 35 cm. A bird with a peaceful character easily adapts in captivity. Pink cockatoo
4. Inca Cockatoo (Major Mitchell's Parrot). The most beautiful representative of the family. It has a luxurious variegated crest, which when unfolded resembles a bright fan or flower. The feathers of the “crown” are red, with yellow spots in the middle, and the tips are white. Body color is white and pink. It is prohibited to export it outside of Australia, and within its natural range, breeding in captivity is possible only under special regulations.

   
   Inca cockatoo

5. Black palm. The largest and grandest. Completely black, except for the leathery red cheeks. The high crest consists of narrow curled feathers. It is the oldest species of cockatoo living in Australia and is also an extremely rare bird - likely to become extinct in the coming years due to habitat loss and low reproductive rates.

   
   Black palm cockatoo

6. Banks' mourning cockatoo. A black parrot with white markings in a mottled pattern. The underside of the tail is half red in males, with orange stripes in females. In addition, females have black feathers on their chest and belly with an orange border.

   
   Banks' mourning cockatoo

The other parrots are also beautiful, each in their own way. Several species of these exotic birds are endangered. Five species have conservation status in Appendix I Cites: Goffin's cockatoo, Moluccan cockatoo, red-tailed cockatoo, yellow-crested cockatoo and palm cockatoo.

Population and species status

Photo: Pink cockatoo parrot

The main threats to the cockatoo population are habitat loss and fragmentation and wildlife trade. Maintaining the population at the proper level depends on the availability of nesting sites in the trees. In addition, many species have specific habitat requirements or live on small islands and have small ranges, making them vulnerable.

The Nature Conservancy, concerned about the decline in cockatoo populations, has hypothesized that suboptimal juvenile rates among the entire population may have occurred due to the loss of breeding grounds following inland clearing in the last century. This can lead to the aging of wild cockatoo flocks, where the majority are post-reproductive birds. This will lead to a rapid decline in numbers after the death of older birds.

Catching many species for sale is now prohibited, but trade continues illegally. The birds are placed in boxes or bamboo tubes and transported by boat from Indonesia and the Philippines. Not only are rare species smuggled out of Indonesia, but common cockatoos are also smuggled out of Australia. To calm the birds, they are covered in nylon stockings and packed in PVC pipes, which are then placed in unaccompanied baggage on international flights. The mortality rate during such “voyages” reaches 30%.

Recently, smugglers are increasingly exporting bird eggs, which are easier to hide during flights. The cockatoo trade is believed to be carried out by organized gangs who also trade Australian species for overseas species such as macaws.

Intelligence

In the parrot family, the cockatoo is considered one of the most intellectually developed. He has a good memory, a logical mind, and conversational talent.

Epithets characterizing cockatoos:

1. Cunning. He can pick a complex lock, steal and hide an important thing, do something nasty, and then pretend that he is not guilty. Can solve puzzles. Capable of cunningly luring out a treat, even if punished.
2. Revengeful. He remembers the evil done to him and returns it in an increased size. Being offended, he does not make contact, refuses food, ignores toys and treats.
3. Talkative. He is still able to remember and pronounce a few dozen words, but this parrot speaks much worse than the gray parrot. However, the desire exceeds the ability, and the cockatoo bird chatters incessantly - “what I see, I sing.” She is much better at imitating animals and reproducing various noises.
4. Sentimental. There is no parrot more gentle and affectionate than a cockatoo. This can be compared to the manifestations of a dog’s feelings for its owner. You need to see how the bird climbs to hug its owner and courtes the object of its love in every possible way - nothing could look more touching!
5. Affectionate. He never gets enough attention from his owner. The parrot wants to participate in everything. To tame the pressure of the bird, breeders recommend getting a second cockatoo - in this case, the emphasis should shift to a partner.
6. Demonstrative. If the bird doesn’t like something, it will scoop up food from the container by the handful and throw it to the bottom of the cage. After cleaning carried out by the owner, he deliberately tears the paper, scatters greens around the cage, and drops droppings wherever necessary. He shows dissatisfaction with his entire appearance: he spreads his crest, puffs up his wings, tilts his head, hisses.
7. Loud. Expresses emotions very loudly. It is worth noting that cockatoo owners often have problems with their neighbors. Such a noisy bird is difficult for everyone around to tolerate. It only becomes silent in complete darkness.
8. Careless. In games, in a fit of emotion, he does not restrain himself - he can bite painfully, hit with his paw or wings. Perhaps everyone who has a cockatoo in their home has “battle” scars received from their pet.

On a note! The cockatoo is an excellent manipulator. He notices the owner’s weaknesses and uses his knowledge with pleasure. Can express demands by shouting until he gets what he wants.

Cockatoo training and education

Cockatoos are very smart birds, but not the best talkers. With persistent training, they are able to learn to imitate some words and sounds, but this is not their strongest point. Cockatoo horse - performing tricks. They love to dance, play tug of war, bob their heads and climb. For their tricks, birds use different “tools” - toys or other objects intended for games. They are very inventive and, in the absence of the necessary equipment, will use everything that is at hand. Often these are food containers and other cage equipment.

mourning cockatoo

The effectiveness of taming and training cockatoos depends entirely on their level of trust in the owner; in this case, slowness and consistency are important. Training of these birds should take place in a quiet room where nothing will distract the bird.

Taming cockatoos must be done in stages. It is better to start by teaching the parrot how to behave in a cage and make sure that when you approach its home, the bird does not get scared and does not try to hide from you in the opposite corner. This can be overcome by talking gently to your pet, and moving gently and carefully until he gets used to you. Next, you need to accustom the parrot to touch. Give your pet treats, and as soon as he begins to get used to your hands, open the cage door and treat the parrot again, already inside the cage. This will help you earn the trust of your feathered comrade. At the end of this stage, the bird should climb onto your hand without fear and allow itself to be carried around the room.

For physical and psychological health, cockatoos need constant activity and play. They are unusually playful and are able to have fun all day long, making only short breaks to rest. It is very important to let the birds out of the cage and to have at least a small play area with various bars, swings and ropes, where the bird can play to its heart's content. All this helps prevent cockatoos from becoming stressed.

Keeping at home

As the experience of breeders shows, cockatoos can be successfully kept at home. A large feathered pet requires different conditions than ordinary lovebirds or budgies. When planning to get a large, capricious bird, you need to carefully consider the nuances of care and maintenance. First of all, you should prepare the cage.

Arrangement of the cage

One cockatoo takes up as much space as a small flock of budgerigars. Therefore, a medium-sized cage will not work. A reinforced overall structure is needed. In a spacious cage or enclosure, you can place more accessories: install a container with soil and plant a low tree, lay out driftwood and spreading branches.

A few tips:

• It is important that the feeders and drinking bowls are of increased strength, preferably made of steel, otherwise an active parrot will break them.
• Plastic panels (aprons) around the perimeter of the cage will help prevent debris from falling apart.
• Waste accumulates at the bottom of the structure, which can be conveniently removed using a pull-out tray.
• Bird apartments have significant weight; for ease of movement, an element such as wheels is important.

In the absence of a person, the parrot needs to play, and for this it will need a stand and entertainment items made from natural materials: jute fiber, wood.

Nutrition

The diet of a large parrot should contain dry and juicy components in a ratio of 1:3. Unlike small parrots, cockatoos feel full for much longer - they accumulate food in their voluminous crop, which is slowly digested. The parrot needs to be fed thoroughly twice a day and given snacks several times.

At home, birds are fed dry mixtures for large parrots. Factory-made feed consists of millet, sunflower seeds, safflower, oats and other grains with a high content of proteins and carbohydrates. Fruits, boiled and raw vegetables are necessary for the wards, as is cereal food. They contain plant fibers, vitamins, and minerals. Cockatoos love berries, corn cobs, fruits with seeds - such foods are also entertainment for them.

Care and hygiene

A large cockatoo parrot is constantly busy with something, after this activity everything around is strewn with garbage. Caring for a pet often comes down to constant cleaning. To make your work easier, equip the cage with special panels and a pull-out tray. This way, all the dirt will remain inside the cage, and during cleaning you can brush it off the tray and wash it. Feeders are washed twice a day and then thoroughly wiped dry. The perches are cleaned dry; they should not be washed frequently, otherwise the tree will swell.

The care rules include regular bathing of the bird itself. Cockatoos love water; they are happy to put their heads under the spray of a sprayer, climb under the shower and open tap. There is no need to deny your pets their favorite pastime, but it is not recommended to deliberately immerse birds in water.

Important addition! Cockatoo feathers are covered with a special powdery coating that easily scatters over all surfaces. This pollen is a protective barrier for the bird, so frequent water procedures are undesirable.

Education and training

You need to tame and raise a cockatoo parrot from an early age. If you are lucky enough to purchase a foster chick, it should already be tame. In the first days, it is not advisable to approach a new pet unless necessary. At this stage, you should simply be in front of the parrot - mind your business not far from the cage. At this time, the bird watches the owner and gradually gets used to it. After the adaptation period is over, you can begin training. This is a long process, the result of which will disappoint or delight, depending on the character and abilities of the bird.

The cockatoo subtly senses the owner’s mood, is easily offended and withdraws from communication. The carrot and stick method does not work on him. A good attitude, tenderness, and openness have a good effect. However, excessive affection can also cause harm. It is necessary to clearly stop the bird’s incorrect behavior in a stern voice, but in no case should physical punishment be used. Remember - the cockatoo is incredibly touchy and vindictive.

Lifespan

The cockatoo parrot is considered a long-lived bird. It is not possible to calculate the average life expectancy in nature, but there is an assumption that it is approximately one and a half decades. After all, birds in the wild have many enemies, and in addition, from time to time entire flocks of parrots die from infectious diseases. Cockatoos live next to humans in good conditions for 40-50 years.

Diseases and causes of death

At home, the parrot is reliably protected from predators, fires, floods and crop failure. How long a tame cockatoo will live depends only on the owner and his family members.

Cockatoo diseases have a viral, bacterial or parasitic origin, but much more often parrots suffer from improper feeding or mechanical damage. A fairly common phenomenon is self-plucking, which highly intelligent parrots are prone to. In rare cases, there is a genetic disease that cannot be corrected.

Self-plucking in cockatoos

The cockatoo is an expensive parrot, and its treatment, accordingly, is not cheap. Caring for a sick parrot is quite difficult, and it is not always possible to avoid death. It will be easier for everyone if you prevent the development of the disease, and for this you need to contact a veterinarian at the first symptoms and do not forget about preventive examinations.

The death of a domestic cockatoo parrot most often occurs as a result of the owner's oversight.

Main causes of death:

• poisoning;
• burn;
• swipe;
• strangulation;
• pet attack.

The most unpredictable and mysterious factor that accelerates the death of a bird is depression. From the resulting stress, the cockatoo loses interest in life, refuses food, plucks its feathers to bare skin and gradually fades away.

Breeding

Breeding rare species of parrots at home requires considerable investment, as well as a lot of free time. The breeder must be immersed in the process and ready to come to the aid of the birds at any time. The female may experience difficulties during childbirth and other troubles. In addition, newborn chicks often have to be taken away from their parents and fed formula from the first days. Chicks raised by humans grow up tame and trusting.

Cockatoo chicks

Breeding rare birds as a business is a profitable business, but extremely responsible and complex.

Expert advice

Breeders who work closely with nipper parrots recommend weighing the pros and cons before purchasing. Perhaps, from the outside and in the video, the “clown” with a tuft seems cute, but this is just a beautiful picture. You won’t envy the people who live in the same territory as this capricious bird. They have to face various problems every day; When communicating with a Velcro parrot, a stable psyche is required. You need to be able to pacify the winged aggressor and educate him correctly.

Cockatoo parrot with friend

The main advice from an ornithologist is that when communicating with a bird you need to notice all the little things. Monitor changes in behavior in order to promptly correct the character and prevent the pet from feeling like the master of the situation. The subject of a home living corner, although he is the youngest member of the family, is obliged to know his place. Then living together will please both parties.

Care and nutrition

A cockatoo's diet consists of a mixture of various grains, fruits and vegetables. These can be apples, pears, plums, raisins, oranges, bananas, peaches, carrots, broccoli, lettuce and much more. Avocados and chocolate are extremely toxic to cockatoos! You should also not feed your parrot peanuts; they can also be toxic to your feathered friends. From time to time, protein can be added to the diet in the form of cottage cheese, cheese, hard-boiled eggs and well-cooked meat bones. All fatty, processed meats should be avoided. There should always be a fresh supply of water in the cage.

Avocados, chocolate and peanuts should not be given to your parrot as they are toxic.

With a varied diet, there is no need to give the cockatoo vitamins, only in case of stress or any changes. Once a week you can add a little calcium to the food.

Most cockatoos do not need to be washed due to their natural cleanliness. They regularly clean their own feathers. These birds produce a fairly large amount of pollen, which protects the skin and plumage from harmful influences. Therefore, once a week it is permissible to bathe a cockatoo to get rid of accumulated pollen, however, this is purely individual preference. When bathing this type of parrot, you should use only clean water without any additional products.

If you have one parrot at home, you will have to help him clean his feathers in places out of his reach. The wings need to be trimmed a little if you don't want your pet to fly into an open door or window. And also trim and trim the claws and beak a little.

How much does it cost and where to buy

You can buy an exotic decorative parrot with a crest without any problems. Cockatoos of common species are sold by private breeders and nurseries; Even large pet stores sell crested birds. Buying a bird in such places is quite risky, because there is no guarantee of health or compliance with the stated age and gender. For private sellers, the cost of birds averages 50-100 thousand rubles.

Helmeted Cockatoo

Specialized nurseries sell rare birds, bred independently or imported from European countries. Professional breeders comply with the regulations and provide the buyer with the necessary documents and test results. A cockatoo parrot from a nursery will definitely have a permanent ring on its paw or a veterinary chip. Several factors influence the price:

• origin;
• breed;
• age;
• floor;
• color;
• feeding method.

A white cockatoo costs about 90 thousand rubles, a yellow-crested cockatoo costs from 150 thousand rubles. Parrots of rarer species are sold at prices ranging from 500 thousand to a million rubles.

Poultry price and place of purchase

The price of a cockatoo can range from one hundred thousand rubles to half a million. It all depends on where the bird is purchased. They can be bought in a special nursery, on the market, or from an owner who breeds these parrots. When purchasing a bird from a nursery, the owner receives all the documents and the confidence that the health of the cockatoo has been carefully monitored. On the market, similar parrots can be purchased for 50 thousand rubles. But without the relevant documents and a special certificate about the state of health of the bird.

Before going to the market or nursery to buy cockatoo poultry, you should weigh the pros and cons and consult with family members. A new member joins the cell and should not be deprived of love. If you liked the article or have something to add, then leave your comments and also join our VKontakte group.

What is the appeal of the cockatoo parrot?

Breeders love cockatoos for their sociability and lively intelligence. Some bird habits delight children and adults: playing with the crest, bowing, squatting, courtship, dancing. An attentive and inquisitive parrot quickly learns to perform funny tricks and pronounce words.

Cockatoos become tightly attached to people, literally following on their heels. They appreciate care and experience separation dramatically. From interacting with a parrot you can get emotional satisfaction, joy and a positive atmosphere in the house.

When choosing a cockatoo as a pet, many do not understand what they are getting into. A capricious bird requires complete dedication, and without this its character deteriorates. And yet, the cockatoo is a companion bird, ready to become a devoted friend to a person for life.

What is a bird

The cockatoo is a sociable and intelligent bird that requires difficult care. This is a flocking creature, therefore, at home, a person is perceived by him as a member of the flock, and the parrot communicates with him, which is expressed in sounds, gestures and facial expressions, as far as this is applicable in this case.

Before purchasing a cockatoo, you need to think carefully about whether it can receive proper care and attention, and whether the owner has the intelligence and ingenuity to stop attempts at vandalism by the pet.

Introduction to the Cockatoo parrot

How to choose a home?

The cockatoo is a fairly large bird. An adult reaches 75 cm, weight can vary within 1 kg. Accordingly, such a pet needs a lot of space so that it can move freely, jump and spread its wings. Only in proper conditions will the bird always be in a good mood.

The cage for a cockatoo should be all metal, and the size and shape depend directly on the specific parrot and their number. So, for small breeds, the size of the house should be within 70*50*50 cm, and for large birds - 170*100*100 cm. Moreover, if you plan to house several birds in a cage, it is better to choose a dome-shaped or tetrahedral house shape.

Setting up a parrot's home

The cockatoo cage must be equipped in a certain way to make the bird feel comfortable. To do this, a pair of crossbars, a feeder and a drinking bowl, and various toys are installed in it. In this case, the poles must be made of wood, preferably oak, maple or beech. Their diameter depends on the size of the bird - the larger it is, the thicker the perch.

A paw stand is also required. It has a cone shape, and its size is selected taking into account the dimensions of a particular bird.

Information! The footrest should be of such parameters that the toes do not touch each other when the bird sits on it.

The stand must be placed so that the bird's head and tail do not come into contact with the bars of the cage. It should also be well fixed, given that cockatoos weigh a lot and are very mobile. In addition, a special block of calcium is hung in the parrot's cage, on which it will sharpen its beak. A special lock should be equipped on the door of the house, otherwise the bird may fly out. Toys are selected individually to suit the character and characteristics of the bird.

Buying a healthy pet

How long a cockatoo parrot lives in captivity is influenced by the health status of its parents. The correct diet of the female and the male during the mating season is very important - how healthy the offspring they will have depends on it. When planning to purchase a bird, choose carefully, because you will live with it for decades. Therefore, it is better if you know the rules for buying a healthy parrot, this will help you in choosing:

1. purchase a cockatoo only from a trusted breeder or nursery - conditions have been created there for the normal upbringing of healthy offspring;
2. It’s good if the bird has a ring on its paw - this is its kind of passport, which indicates the date and place of birth;
3. for a bird from the nursery you will always be given documents where, in addition to the place and date of birth, the gender and health status will be indicated;
4. buy a young parrot - they adapt and tame faster and easier;
5. be sure to carry out an external examination of the pet: a healthy individual has beautiful smooth plumage without bald spots, clean eyes, ears, cere and cloaca without discharge, the surface of the beak without chips and growths, the bird is active and inquisitive.

When buying a cockatoo second-hand, you risk purchasing a sick or wild pet, which will subsequently cause many problems. Birds that were kept in cramped conditions, with poor nutrition, and lack of hygiene (this often happens with illegally exported parrots) experience extreme stress. Unfortunately, such cockatoos do not live long.

Of course, parrots sold in nurseries are much more expensive than wild, untamed ones or those offered by dubious sellers. However, without skimping on a healthy pet, you get an active bird, accustomed to humans, ready to communicate, learn and make friends. Such cockatoos become full-fledged members of the family, faithful companions for many years. In return for all of these invaluable qualities, you need to be prepared to provide your pet with quality care, meaningful companionship, and unconditional love.

Watch a video about the features of choosing and purchasing a healthy cockatoo parrot, as well as the intricacies of care and maintenance:

Feeding ration

Like any other pet, a cockatoo needs regular feeding and quality nutrition, so we will find out in more detail what you can feed a cockatoo at home.

What is possible

It should be mentioned right away that the parrot loves to eat, and in this case it is better to overfeed it than to underfeed it. If the bird feels a lack of food and a monotonous diet, this can cause aggression, lead to self-plucking of feathers and the premature death of the pet.

It must be taken into account that the food that will be used to feed the parrot must be checked for freshness and quality. Products that spoil quickly should be given out in small quantities several times a day.

The main diet of cockatoos involves the use of mixtures of grains , which consist of different varieties of millet, buckwheat, hemp seeds, nuts and seeds. You can add vegetables and fruits to your diet. It is also recommended to feed the parrot with egg shells to saturate the body with the necessary elements.

In order to pamper your pet a little, you can treat him to strawberries, raspberries, pears, apples, rosehips, raisins and bananas.

Birds also enjoy eating vegetables ; to do this, enrich the diet with carrots, cucumbers, eggplants, red beets, and legumes. It is also useful to add a little dandelion root, celery and fennel to your diet.

In the wild, parrots love to seek out insects and their larvae to supplement their lack of protein food and protein . To ensure that your parrot gets everything it needs at home, offer it chicken, cottage cheese, yogurt or hard cheese.

It is worth mentioning that cockatoos are very cunning birds and are picky about some components of grain mixtures, so it is quite difficult to train them to eat everything you offer. This cunning one can choose the most delicious food from the food, and leave the rest in anticipation of new treats, so for the next feeding, exclude from the food what he eats right away, and leave the unloved, but healthy grains. This way, over time, he will get used to eating everything you offer.

What not to do

In order for your cockatoo to always be healthy, you must adhere to some prohibitions regarding your pet’s food. prohibited for feeding your pet includes chocolate, caffeine-containing products, sugar, milk, parsley and avocado.

Budgerigars are the most popular birds that can sing and speak. Find out more about the features of caring for these birds, as well as how to extend their life at home.

External characteristics

Cockatoos are medium to large parrot species with stocky bodies, large beaks and strong legs. Their body length ranges from 30 to 60 cm, and their weight varies from 300 grams to 1.2 kg.

The parrot looks like this:

• birds have a movable crest, which can be gray, pink or white;
• thanks to the position of this crest, the bird’s mood is easily determined, for example, it rises if the cockatoo is angry, excited or interested in something;
• this parrot has many similarities with other types of parrots, for example, they have a curved beak;
• the paws have 2 middle toes extended forward, as well as two outer toes;
• Cockatoos do not have any bright plumage, so white, gray or pink shades are usually found;
• birds have short legs and strong claws, thanks to which birds obtain food and protect themselves from predators;
• their gait is wriggling and funny;
• the beak is often used as a third leg when climbing trees;
• Due to their long and wide wings, cockatoos fly quickly, and the speed can even reach 70 km/h.

It is impossible to find cockatoos in any blue, red or purple colors, so the most popular are the white and gray ones.

Birds search for food only during the daytime, as they need good lighting. Many species of cockatoos are considered social birds and therefore prefer to live in noisy and large flocks. If there is a lot of food, then the birds live in small flocks. During drought or other natural disasters, parrots unite in large flocks, which can reach 10 thousand individuals.

Many birds love to fly when it rains, and they can often be found hanging upside down in trees. The birds have a cheerful personality and are considered fun birds that are suitable for keeping at home. They become attached to all family members and also take care of other pets.

They can imitate human speech, but you have to pay a lot of attention to training them . They are considered real artists, so they easily learn different tricks. But cockatoos are vindictive and touchy birds, so you need to treat them with tenderness, love and respect.

It is also useful to read: Macaw Parrot

Bird domestication

The first tame parrots appeared in Europe after the campaigns of Alexander the Great. The birds were popular and were kept in special cages made of ivory and silver.

In some countries, parrots were even considered sacred due to the fact that they could speak with a human voice.

Teachers were hired to teach strange birds how to talk. In those days, a parrot that knew a lot of words was valued more than a slave.

The fall of Rome had a negative impact on birds; nothing was heard about them for a long time. And only after the discovery of Australia and America and their subsequent colonization, bright birds appeared again in Europe. They came to Russia quite late: only in the 17th century.

Health and illness

Any living creature can get sick, and parrots are no exception. Most often, diseases occur due to improper care. The most common are the following: intestinal and lung diseases, parasites, feather pulling.

It is unlikely that you will be able to determine on your own what the bird is sick with. Therefore, you should not delay a visit to the veterinarian if your pet exhibits the following symptoms:

• loss of appetite;
• sneezing and discharge from the nostrils;
• sharp screams;
• change in color and appearance of excrement.

If you do not treat your parrot, it may die.

A bird can also die from boredom during a long separation from its owner.

How to care for a cockatoo

Caring for a parrot consists, first of all, of caring for its home. To do this, you need to clean the cage daily from excrement and food debris. It is also recommended to thoroughly wash the dishes from which the bird eats food and drinks water; it is recommended to do this at least once every 2 days, and if possible, every day. After the dishes are washed, they must be wiped dry so as not to provoke the formation of mucus and the proliferation of microbes.

Important! In order for a cockatoo to feel normal, it needs daily ultraviolet irradiation. This issue arises especially acutely in winter and autumn, when the bird feels a lack of natural sunlight, so it is recommended to provide it with additional irradiation with an ultraviolet lamp. The amount of time your parrot spends in such conditions should be discussed with your veterinarian.