Exercise
Cockatoos require a great deal of exercise to stay healthy and fit. It is recommended to allow your Cockatoo at least 3-4 hours a day outside of their cage and to place them in an area with plenty of space so they can climb, stretch, play and spread their wings. Be sure to equip them with plenty of toys they can chew on (a good way to stop them gnawing on your furniture!). It may be feasible to set up a playstand for your Cockatoo to perch on while outside their cage.
Intelligence
Sulphur-Crested Cockatoos are considered the most intelligent of parrots by pet enthusiasts. They have the learning capacity of a 1 to 2 year old human child and they are capable of being taught to speak words and phrases.
Nutrition
To keep your Cockatoo healthy you should not merely feed them bird seeds alone. Their diet should also consist of fruits and vegetables to ensure that they receive the required daily nutrients and vitamins. IT is recommended to feed your Cockatoo at least 3 variety of fruits and 2 variety of vegetables every day.
Health Check
These parrots do not suffer from many physical ailments but if they are left isolated too long they may start to pick/pull out their feathers and excessively chew up your furniture! If they are quite zealous at it this could lead to their feathers never regrowing.
Is this breed right for you?
Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo’s can be highly demanding and vocal birds who tend to bond strongly to one person in the household. It is not recommended to have these Cockatoo’s in households with very young children as their beaks and claws could be a small risk factor. However, if you do decide to have one of these precious birds, you will have a friend for life. If you are devoted to your parrot and ensure that they are showered with plenty of attention, they will love you unconditionally. Keep in mind that they do live a very long time (up to 10 years), so it would be best to think about who will take care of your bird if you unfortunately pass away.
Scientific Name
Cacatura Galerita
Habitat
Generally found throughout the North, Eastern Coast of Australia, Guinea and Aru Islands. They are primarily found in open timber country or around areas with high density of human population.
They were recently introduced to South West Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia.
Life Expectancy
These fun loving birds can live up to 10 years in captivity. Alas, in the wild they do not fare as well living only to the ripe ‘old’ age of 20 to 40 years.
Appearance
Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo’s are large white parrots with yellow feathers on their crest (hence the name Sulpher-crested) and yellow wash under their wings. It is quite difficult to distinguish male from female Cockatoos at a distance as they look remarkably similar. The only major difference is that females have red-brown eyes, whereas males have darker brown eyes. Then again… you might have to rethink whether getting exceedingly close to a Cockatoo is worth it as it may decide to peck you with their impressive beaks!
Personality
These Cockatoos are generally sweet natured and are very affectionate towards their owners. Although if you have a Cockatoo at home their presence will not go unnoticed! They are exceedingly noisy both at rest and in flight. They will do anything to get your attention by throwing objects around the room, gnawing at furniture and squawking their heads off. This mischievous behaviour has led people to call these parrots loveable clowns. Just look at this character below!