Cockatoo

Cockatoos are a loving, but demanding bird that's been given the name of Velcro bird through the years due to its propensity to stick around humans.

Basics: As mentioned above, owners of this bird, like to call is Velcro because it hangs around them so much. The Cockatoo is high sociable and wherever you go, it wants to go. This bird isn't for the faint of heart. It can be high maintenance at times and it can also be demanding. Loud, loving, and sometimes obsessive is what describes the Cockatoo. Cockatoos range in sizes from medium to large. They can become dusty and these birds are well recognized by their crest of feathers. Some popular Cockatoo sepcies include: Citron-Crested Cockatoo, Ducorps Corella, Goffins Cockatoo, Lesser Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo, Little Corella, Long-Billed Corella, Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo, Moluccan Cockatoo, Palm Cockatoo, Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo, Umbrella Cockatoo, Galah, and Cockatiel.

Original and Native Habitat: The native countries of habitat for the Cockatoo include Australia, New Guinea, Soloman Islands, Indonesia, and Australasia. Remember though, there are 21 species that belong to the Cockatoo. They all don't originate from the same places. Some of these species may originate from one or more of the countries or regions listed above, while others may not.

How to Feed and Care For: Cockatoos can be somewhat destructive. These are strong birds and as such, they'll need a strong habitat. This means cage. They'll need a strong cage in which to live that's large enough for the bird to be comfortable. The cage's bars should be thick enough so that the Cockatoo won't destroy them or escape from the enclosure all together. While Cockatoos can be demanding, as mentioned above, they can also be needy. It's not unheard of for these birds to scream and screech while seeking attention. It's important that you don't always respond to their calls right away, lest you train the bird to use this behavior regularly whenever it wants something. Which can really be 24 hours a day. To limit the noise coming from the Cockatoo, you'll need to begin training it as soon as it begins living with you. Rather than obeying its calls and screams, offer the bird toys and chew items to keep it occupied by itself. If the bird learns to sustain its own entertainment, it'll look to humans less in this regard, which is a good thing. This isn't to say that you shouldn't shower your bird with love. You should, but only on your terms. You don't want to own a Cockatoo parrot that is spoiled and that's been trained to misbehave. When it comes to feeding your Cockatoo, give it some excitement in its life. Feed the bird cakes and pellet berries and pellets. Give it something to forage as well. You can get creative, but remember that all food you give this bird should be nutritious. These are fun birds that are loving and are worthwhile owning. Treat, train and feed them right.

Personality, Behavior and Temperament: The range of behaviors the Cockatoo can exhibit is wide. From flat out silly to emotional and belligerent, the Cockatoo parrot displays them all. If you do decide to purchase a Cockatoo as a pet, you may find yourself living with what seems like a toddler who kicks and screams and does all the wrong things. This is why it's so important to get a handle on the training very early on. It's also important to mention that quite a few folks who have purchased Cockatoos as pets have regretted their purchases.

Do They Talk? What Kids of Sounds Do They Make? While Cockatoos aren't the best speaking birds in the world, they can be taught to speak a few words and phrases. It's important to note that these birds can be very loud as well. If you've got close neighbors who don't appreciate being woken up by a screaming bird at sunrise, you may want to look into buying a different type of bird. This one also likes to scream at sunset as well, so be aware of that.

Health and Disease Awareness: Like many other types of birds, certain Cockatoo breeds have a tendency to feather pick when they're bored and aren't being stimulated enough. Besides that, some Cockatoos are susceptible to psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD), fatty liver disease and obesity if fed a diet too high in fat.

Life Expectancy: Depending on species, 10-60 years.

A few terms and phrases to describe the typical Cockatoo bird: loving, dramatic, loud, demanding, destructive, strong, needy, fun, funny, intelligent, emotional, silly, can throw tantrums, unpredictable, crazy, and can bite.

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