All about cockatoo

Cockatoo parrots are considered one of the most intelligent and extraordinary representatives of their family. They are incredibly intelligent, active and charming, which is why they often become a beloved and full-fledged member of the family. This article will focus on cockatoo parrots: their features, lifestyle and the most famous varieties.

The cockatoo is a bird that belongs to the family of parrots. It differs from other members of its family by its pronounced intelligence, active and extraordinary character, as well as an incredible life span - up to 100 years.

The most striking difference from other varieties is the presence of a tuft or crown (elongated feathers on the head of an individual). Raised feathers can simultaneously represent fear, surprise, anger and joy, depending on the situation. In addition to their "crown", cockatoos have other distinctive features.

In addition to the bright and amazing coloring, cockatoos are known for their massive, sturdy and downward curving beak. If in other species the beak is purely decorative or serves for eating, then in the cockatoo it is a universal assistant for crushing nuts, fruits, and seeds. Not to mention the fact that they actively use their beak to move through trees and bushes, as well as to protect themselves from predators.

The body length of an individual cockatoo, depending on the species, can vary from 35 to 85 cm, the average weight of individuals is from 280 grams to 1.1 kg.Species differ in coloring, habitat and diet. Despite the external and behavioral differences, all cockatoos are deeply social birds that often become family favorites and best friends.

Today there are about 25 varieties of cockatoo. Some of them are not easy to meet even in captivity, and therefore the following will be the most common breeds. In total, the cockatoo family includes 21 full-fledged species and 5 genera.

This type of cockatoo is characterized by the following features: the head and crest are white, the outer part of the wings is also white. The feathers themselves are narrow and long, the lower part of the plumage is usually yellowish or lemon-colored. The rim near the eyes is naked, not covered with feathers. The difference between the male and the female is in the color of the iris of the eyes: if the male's iris is usually brown or dark brown, then the female has bright reddish shades in the iris. The paws of the yellow-crested parrot are gray, leathery, often gray or black. The beak is also dark, rather short, but massive, the upper part of the beak is bent downward.

There are two varieties of the yellow-crested parrot: small and large. They differ from each other in the length of the body and wings, as well as in the color of the plumage in the tuft.

This variety is considered the most popular among those bred at home. Differs in sociability, long life span, activity, rapid development of new conditions of detention. However, the bird requires more attention to its personal space. Due to the significant size of individuals of a large species (up to 55 centimeters of the body in length), it is necessary to provide this breed of cockatoo with a cage with dimensions of at least 100 by 100 cm and a height of at least 170 cm.

Under natural conditions, the bird lives in Australia and Tasmania, moves in flocks of up to 30 individuals, the main part of its food is fruits, seeds, insects. She has no particular preferences for it, and therefore feels great at home. Good for training. It is worth feeding an adult twice a day - early in the morning and in the evening. Refers to a type of parrot that can be taught to talk.

It is also a fairly common variety that can often be found at home. You can recognize it by the snow-white plumage and tuft, which, when raised, forms a characteristic crown. The outer part of some wings can be yellowish or slightly reddish. The rim of the eyes is blue or gray. The difference between the female and the male is in the color of the iris: in the female it is brown with red shades, in the males it is black, dark brown shades. Paws are massive, strong, gray or black, like the color of the beak (also massive, the upper part is bent down).

This variety is not the smallest: the body length of mature individuals can be up to 50 centimeters, the wings are just as large - up to 35 cm, the tail - up to 18-20 cm. In addition, the species has a rather large weight - up to 600 grams.

To a greater extent, the species is widespread on the islands of the Moluccan archipelago, it is found in forests, swamps, mangroves, and often forms nests at an altitude of half a mile above sea level. The diet is similar to that of the yellow-crested species: insects, fruits, seeds of fruits and plants. It moves both in flocks of up to 60 individuals, and in pairs.

At home, the variety is considered unusually sociable, constantly in need of communication and attention. He loves to play, fly, in a word - to be naughty. Unlike other species, it has a fairly quiet voice. By nature, he is calm, playful, trusting and smart.

It is considered one of the largest in size among all cockatoos. The length of only the body in an adult can reach 60 centimeters, while the mass of most individuals often reaches 1.2 kg. A distinctive feature of this type of cockatoo is considered to be white or slightly pinkish plumage, as well as a bright red color of the inner part of the ridge. Based on the description, it is easy to understand that the bird needs an extremely voluminous cage (up to 2 meters in height) and a huge personal space.

The general description of the species is similar to the description of the white-crested and yellow-crested cockatoo: long thin feathers, a long comb up to 15 cm long (however, in this case, not a thin, but a wide type), a large, strong, black or gray beak. Paws are large, massive, gray or dark gray in color. The iris of the eyes is dark (male) or burgundy (female), the rim around the eyes is featherless, smooth.

In its natural environment, it can live up to 90 years, prefers to move in flocks of up to 20 individuals or more. He prefers insects and seeds in his diet. In captivity, he is not particularly picky about food, but it is worth excluding food harmful to parrots (which will be discussed later) and seeds / grains of the Pink family from the diet. These cockatoos are large and curious, and instead of breaking an apricot or cherry seed with their beak, they can simply swallow it.

At home, it is distinguished by activity, friendliness and love for the owner, but also by aggression with poor care and an unfair attitude towards oneself. The species is prone to depressive disorders, so you should not leave one such parrot.

It is the largest representative of its family - the body length can reach 85 cm (maximum weight - 1000 g). It differs from the rest of the cockatoo in a deep dark color (with a green or reddish tint), a long and curved beak, as well as red or pink wrinkled cheeks that darken in a state of stress, fear or aggression. Other features: feathers are rather short and thin, the tail is large and massive, the crest is long with pointed tips, the eyes are black and brown. Males differ from females by the presence of a red tint on the breast and smaller size.

The homeland of the bird is Indonesia, the northern regions of Australia, New Guinea. Unlike other species, he prefers to travel either alone or together. Thanks to strong claws, it perfectly climbs trees, lives and loves to nest at a height, far from the ground. He prefers to eat all the same fruits, seeds and insects during periods of lack of food. Under natural conditions, it is able to live up to 90 years.

When kept at home, it can cause a lot of problems and inconveniences.

• Due to the large wingspan and overall large size, it does not need a cage, but a real aviary with a minimum height of 2 meters or more.
• Despite its attractive and exotic appearance, it rarely finds a common language with the owner, it is often not in the mood. In a state of aggression, it can pinch and bite the owner.
• He is extremely jealous and vindictive - he does not tolerate other pets in the house, or even more so children. It is not advised to leave him without a cage in a room with children - he is able to cripple them while the owner has left.
• It does not differ in a colorful voice; when irritated and fearful, it makes harsh and unpleasant sounds. At the same time, he speaks poorly and almost does not lend itself to training, in his entire life he can learn no more than 10 words.

One of the smallest known cockatoo species.It differs from other birds in the family by its extremely small size - up to 35 cm, the weight is also small - up to 370 grams in the most adult males. The wings are not oblong, rounded, up to 30 cm in length, the tail is also small - up to 12-15 cm.Up to 3 years old, the female from the male is almost impossible to distinguish, then in females the iris becomes much lighter and acquires yellowish or even orange shades (in males, the color is still darkens more up to dark brown).

The plumage is colorful and variegated, characterized by bright pink, green and red tones. The head is either completely white or light with a pinkish color, the abdomen and body are pink or dark pink, the back is grayish, the wings are usually gray or bluish, the tail is pale green or pale blue. On the head there is a small crest up to 5-7 cm in length, the beak is gray, as are the claws. It feeds mainly on plants, insects, fruits (papaya, mango, capers).

Pros:

• despite their nondescript appearance, they live long enough - up to 50-55 years in natural conditions;
• calm and friendly by nature, quickly get used to new conditions of detention, become attached to the owner;
• unlike a black or white-crested parrot, it has a quiet and pleasant voice;
• does not need large cages and enclosures, quickly gets used to new food, does not disdain fruits and vegetables.

Minuses:

• speak rather badly, although they will try with all their might to repeat some phrases after you, but in their entire life they will be able to remember no more than 40 separate words;
• extremely social, without regular communication with the owner, it can literally wither away;
• in its homeland it is considered a real pest - forming flocks of up to 1000 individuals, the species is capable of devastating entire fields.

The rarest and most expensive cockatoo species in the family. It can be recognized by its black plumage covered with golden spots and a red tail. Parrots of this breed are considered centenarians among all cockatoos and are able to live even in captivity for up to 100 years. The species owes its unusual name to the English naturalist Joseph Banks, who lived in the 18th century. The actual habitat of the mourning cockatoo is northern Australia. At the moment, the species has practically disappeared from the face of the Earth, and therefore is under the vigilant protection of the Australian government.

Red-tailed beauties are distinguished by a large total body length (up to 65 cm) and a long tail (up to 28-30 cm). The weight of an individual adult hovers around 750 grams. The difference between males and females is quite clear: males (completely black) have red plumage in the tail, females have numerous gold and silver dots and specks throughout the body, and the tail is decorated with dark orange plumage. Moreover, males tend to have a much darker beak than females.

The diet consists of plants, various nuts and seeds, as well as fruits and insects.

The breed is rarely found in captivity outside Australia, so it is difficult to assess their intellectual and personal qualities and character traits when living at home. Zoologists claim that these are friendly, gullible, but freedom-loving birds that rarely stay in one place for a long time, preferring to migrate from place to place.

The variety is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful among the entire family of parrots. It differs from other species in pale pink, sometimes peach plumage and a characteristic variegated crest. The breed is found exclusively in Western Australia, where it lives in mangrove and eucalyptus forests. The species is also resistant to the aridity of the external climate, but tries to locate nesting sites near water.

It does not differ in its great length or weight - up to 40 cm in body length and weight up to 450 grams. The cheeks, head and breast up to the extremities are pale pink, the wings are white with a characteristic orange color on the inside. The tail is white, the tuft is long and thin - up to 12-15 cm, contains three shades at once - red, orange and white. The beak is miniature, white, the upper bridge of the nose is reddish-pink.

Cockatoo belongs to those poultry that require not only particularly careful care, but also a healthy, balanced and, most importantly, varied diet. In their natural habitat, these birds feed on insects, larvae, fresh fruit... Such nutrition includes everything that is necessary for the full functioning of the body. That is why food at home should be not only satisfying, but also contain a large amount of trace elements and vitamins.

The main rule in drawing up a diet for a cockatoo is to find the ideal middle, in which the parrot would not experience prolonged hunger, but would not be overfed either. Changing the diet with the gradual addition of new products and feed is also one of the important conditions for the proper nutrition of this bird.

The daily feeding of a young cockatoo is divided into 3 or 4 stages with the gradual addition of a small amount of food. For adults, 2-3 servings per day will be sufficient. The food of these birds is based on grain mixtures, seeds, nuts, corn, almonds. At the same time, the food should be as fresh as possible, cockatoos are squeamish about already stagnant food and would rather remain hungry than try spoiled food.

Due to their unique ability to adapt to the external environment, cockatoos have a positive attitude towards the consumption of many fruits and vegetables. From vegetables they love beets, eggplants, cucumbers, carrots, green beans. Parrots cannot do without fruit, preferring not only the pulp, but also the bones, which contain many nutrients for their development. The most favorite fruits are pears, apples, pineapples, pomegranates. They also perfectly absorb many berries: cherries and cherries, raspberries, gooseberries, blueberries, strawberries.

Before serving, the fruit should be cut into slices so that the parrot can safely take them in his paw. Do not leave fruit or other food in the cage for a long time - remove them immediately so that they do not start to deteriorate and the bird does not poison them... Young cockatoos may not eat anything except sunflower seeds for a long time. In this case, try to gradually add more fruit to the diet and reduce the simultaneous supply of seeds.

Of course, there are also foods that should not be given to parrots even in the smallest quantities.

• It is worth immediately deleting all sweets from the diet, as well as foods with a high sugar content. This is especially true for sweets and chocolate products.The fact is that sugar contains substances harmful to parrots that affect the processes of their digestion.
• Avoid giving the cockatoo fatty, fried, salty, or pickled food under any circumstances. All of these foods can be very loved by your bird, but they will negatively affect its body in any case.
• Refuse to add milk to the diet, it contains lactose, which is harmful to parrots, which they cannot process purely physiologically. Because of this, birds may experience intestinal disorders, diarrhea.
• For individuals of a large type, it is not recommended to give fruits with large kernels - in order to avoid swallowing the whole seeds by the parrot.
• Forget about pirate movies and never give your crested friend alcohol as food or drink. Even the smallest dose of alcohol can have a lethal effect on the organs of a bird.
• Of all the common fruits and vegetables, cockatoo is strictly forbidden to give avocados. This fruit contains a huge percentage of fat that the body of this bird will not be able to process. It is also not recommended to give parsley, cabbage and coffee.

Before adding new fruits, vegetables, grains, and other foods to your diet consult an experienced zoologist or veterinarian in advance. He will help you not only to exclude harmful substances from the diet, but also draw up a detailed diet of the bird for the near future.

One of the most important points when breeding cockatoos is the conditions of detention. It is from the comfort and how the bird will be looked after that its mood and health depend. At the very beginning, you should think about buying a cage if you want to breed cockatoos at home. The cage is a necessity for cockatoos - parrots should have their own place, where food and drink, entertainment always awaits them.

Most cockatoo species are large birds with a huge wingspan, which is why the approximate characteristics of the cage should be at least 120x90x120 cm. It should be a reasonably spacious, enclosed space with good oxygen circulation. To make the cage easier to wash and clean of excrement and food, buy the option with a pull-out bottom.

If you plan to breed cockatoos and expect to grow several individuals outside the home, then you should take care of buying a large aviary with dimensions of at least 4.5x2x2 meters. The aviary should have several separate houses for each parrot. As with the cage situation, fill the aviary with some toys, perches, and resting areas. In the cage / aviary, there must be a small solid thing that the parrot could gnaw on.

As for the material from which the cage should be, then first of all consider precisely the metal cages. During a period of activity and boredom, a cockatoo can simply damage polymer or wooden structures. Feeders, a latch or a lock must also be made of strong and durable material, the lock must be strong and complex, otherwise such an intelligent bird as a cockatoo can simply break it. Avoid solid glass cages like aquariums - cockatoos constantly need fresh air, and moreover, such aquariums are much more difficult to clean.

Place the cage in a well-lit area with an approximate temperature of 18-20 degrees Celsius. The desired humidity level should not be lower than 70%, drafts should be avoided... Some breeders prefer to place the bird near a window on the sunny side, however this is only acceptable in winter when the bird needs as much light and warmth as possible.Do not put the bird near the batteries and in direct sunlight, this can also come back to haunt with serious diseases.

If there is no place for the pool or it is constantly clogged up - you can spray your bird from an ordinary sprayer once a day, the water should be warm and slightly settled.

One of the unpleasant features of the cockatoo is a very high and loud voice. An irritated, hungry, or just bored bird can bring a lot of worries to both you and your neighbors. That is why it is better to prepare a room for the parrot with tolerable sound insulation.

Avoid too frequent contact with the animal. If you accustom the cockatoo to constant attention, then when you are not at home, the bird will probably get bored, which will affect its health. This difficulty mostly concerns families with children, where little children up to a certain age are actively interested in the bird and play with it, and then they come less and less often.

Cockatoo are distinguished by a phenomenal life expectancy among their fellows - in rare cases, in some individuals, it reaches 90 or even 95 years. However, when buying any kind of cockatoo, you should not count on any specific lifespan. This is exactly the case when absolutely everything depends on the owner. Regularity and completeness of feeding, careful care is only the necessary minimum that is required of you.

The biggest disadvantage, and at the same time, the greatest advantage of this species is its incredible social attachment. In their natural environment, before reaching maturity, parrots move in flocks until they find a single partner with whom they will remain until death.

That is why cockatoo, as well as in the love field, are very attached to their owners and tend to miss them during their long absence. If you spend a lot of time at work or on the road, it may happen that your bird gets bored. This can lead to serious depression in her. Everything, including parting, can and should be taught to the bird.

Start with a small time frame - go to another room for a while and leave the parrot alone, then return (you can bring some goodies). Gradually increase the duration of the separation - the cockatoo should get used to the fact that if you leave, you will definitely return.

Unfortunately, there are no animals that are immune to disease and death. Depending on the care, upbringing, living conditions, your bird may get sick. Below are the most common ailments in this species of bird.

• diseases associated with indigestion;
• parasitic infections;
• plucking feathers - with stress, boredom and hunger;
• pneumonia, some infectious diseases.

Common symptoms of diseases:

• poor appetite or no appetite at all;
• regular and increasing sneezing;
• tearing of the eyes, discharge from the nostrils;
• a sharp appearance of drawn-out screams;
• looks tired, breathes deeply, eyes blurred, slightly covered.

Most often, the following leads to the appearance of diseases and the subsequent death of a bird:

• irregular meals, lack of food and water;
• lack of variety in the diet;
• untimely treatment of colds;
• inclusion of foods prohibited for cockatoos in the diet;
• prolonged absence of the host or social contacts.

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