Parrot Cockatoo - a very beautiful and charming representative of a kind. Funny behavior, interesting character and remarkable intellect cause many people to wish to make him their pet. At the same time, not everyone is familiar with the peculiarities of caring for such a parrot, therefore, after some attempts to overcome difficulties, there is a desire to give it back. That this did not happen to you, we suggest to learn more about the home maintenance of cockatoo.
Parrot Cockatoo - description
There are many kinds of cockatoos, and depending on this they can be of medium size (about 30 cm) or large (up to 70 cm). In any case, their main distinguishing feature is a crest formed by elongated feathers on the forehead and crown. The color of the tufts, as a rule, stems from the main coloring of the feathers. The very coloring can include feathers of a variety of shades - red, white, yellow, pink, black.
Another distinctive feature of the parrot is its powerful curved beak, capable of cracking nuts, turning into wooden chips the elements of a cage, furniture and everything that gets in its way. Talking parrot cockatoos can learn a few phrases and a dozen words, imitate different sounds and even perform some circus tricks - bows, somersaults, coups.
Where does the parrot cockatoo live?
In the wild, the cockatoo parrot is found in the Philippines Islands, Australia, New Guinea and the islands of Indonesia. In different habitats these birds adapt easily to various conditions. So, the Australian cockatoo settles in large flocks in open areas, using trees only as a place for spending the night. Indonesian cockatoo prefer tropical and subtropical forests and fringes of wetlands.
Even the biggest parrot kakadu will never choose solitude. For these birds it is characteristic to concentrate in large groups to ensure the safety of the flock and adequate nutrition. In addition to the instinct of self-preservation, they are pushed for cohesion by their love of communication - in a pack they are very close to the contact with relatives, and the partner of life and partner is chosen once and for all.
What is useful and interesting parrot cockatoo?
Cockatoos breeders are aware of their cheerful and sociable nature. The bird is very attached to the person who cares for it - the parrot can "walk on its heels", trying to get into the center of attention of its owner. He needs to pay a lot of attention, educate and play. If you decide to go on holiday, from yearning for you, the bird can begin to pull out the feathers and bring themselves to a lethal outcome. It is also interesting to know what the cockatoo parrot is useful for: for the inhabitants of the town the bird can play the role of the destroyer of garden pests, since its nutrition includes insects and larvae.
Parrot Cockatoo - content at home
Preparing for the fact that soon you will have a parrot cockatoo, you need to buy for him a spacious cage or aviary with a dome top. The rods must necessarily be metal and strong, so that the parrot can not break them with its beak. The bottom of the cell should be retractable so that you can comfortably wash it.
Parrot cucumber requires care and maintenance with frequent bathing. When the room is warm, you can water the parrot from the atomizer every day - this will replace the bath procedures, because in nature they like swimming in the rain very much. In general, it is extremely important to keep the cleanliness and hygiene of not only the bird itself, but also its dwellings, so regular cleaning of the cage should become your hobby.
What to feed a cockatoque to a parrot?
Nutrition in food should be varied and balanced. Small and large parrots of cockatoo are unpretentious in food, they eat any grain mixtures, seeds of pumpkin, sunflower, weeds. They also like fruit - apples, cherries, oranges, grapes, etc. Depending on the season, you can diversify their menu with fresh grass and shoots in spring or sunflower and safflower in the winter. The amount of diurnal feeding depends on the age of the cockatoos. So, young individuals eat 3-4 times a day, adults less often - 1-2 times. Fresh water should always be present in the drinking bowl.
Types of Cockatoo Parrots
In total, there are 21 species of cockatoos in nature, which are subdivided into 3 subfamilies. Their differences mainly concern the length of the tuft and feathers, the color and size of the trunk. The maintenance of parrots of the cockatoos in many respects depends on a kind as they in various degrees are capable to become attached and yield to education. Consider the most common parrots for home keeping.
White Cockatoo Parrot
White cockatoo live on the Mulok Islands. The parrot cockatoo of this breed has impressive sizes - up to 45 cm, 20 of which fall on the tail. Its feathers are completely white, and only around the eyes the skin has a bluish tinge. Beak and paws are black and blue. The male can be distinguished from the female only by the color of the iris of the eyes: in females it is red-brown, in males it is black.
This subspecies of cockatoo has a weak ability to imitate human speech. Their cry is very loud, and the disposition is very restless. Together with a powerful beak, this gives an excuse to keep the birds in an all-metal cage with reliable locks. The more spacious the cell (aviary), the more interesting behavior is observed in white parrots. In tightness, the bird will sit still most of the time.
Pink Cockatoo Parrot
A pink cockatoose parrot, also called a clown or a fool, lives in Australia. Its average size is 35 cm. The feather is smoke-gray, and the neck, cheeks and abdomen are red. Pappus on top light, and below - reddish pink. Iris in females is light orange, in males - dark brown. Birds love to swim, eat seeds of herbs, berries, grains, oats, flowers and kidneys, insects and larvae.
Parrot Cockatoo Goofin
They dwell in Indonesia and the Tanimbar Islands. Snow-white species of parrots of cockatoo, which include goffin, reach a size of 32 cm. Their plumage near the ears is yellowish, the tail and lower parts of the wings are also pale yellow, the beak is gray-white, the bridle is near the beak pink. Goffins are related to endangered species due to destruction of their habitat and uncontrolled trade in these birds.
Parrot gaffin cockatoos are very noisy and active. However, if they get into bondage, the adults become closed, only gradually becoming tame and becoming more and more trusting and tame. The nutrition of these birds should include the germinated grains of sunflower and wheat, safflower, boiled corn and rice, fruits and vegetables. Reproduction in captivity is quite possible. The marriage begins in May.
Yellow cock parrots
The habitat of this species of cockatoos is Australia, New Guinea, Tasmania and Kangaroo Islands. The cockatoque that speaks the parrot is painted white, the inner sides of the wings and tail are blurry yellow. Its crest is yellow, narrow, pointed. Around the eyes there are white-blue rings, the color of the iris is black in males and red-brown in females. The feet are dark gray, the beak is black.
The bird is large - the size of its trunk reaches 50 cm, the size of the wing is 30-40 cm. Among the other species, the cockatoos are used by the breeders with special love, because they show excellent abilities for trickery and repetition of human speech. They easily give in to training and education. It should be remembered that good results can be achieved with regular classes.
Parrot Molucca Cockatoo
These species of Cockatoo parrots live in the forests and swamps of the Seram and Ambon Islands of the Moluccan archipelago in Indonesia. Their body is large - 50-55 cm, weight reaches 900 grams. In general, the plumage has a pale pink hue, the orange-tailed liners, and the tail feathers are orange-yellow. A beautiful and long (18-20 cm) tuft of Molucca cockatoos is three-color: white outside, bright red and orange inside.
Around the eyes there is a white leather ring with a bluish tinge. To distinguish the female from the male is possible according to the color of the iris: in the female it is brown, in the male it is black. They differ in size - the males are larger, with a large head. In the middle of the 20th century representatives of this species were introduced into the International Red Book.