Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo birds

Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo birds

Traits:  Sulpher-crested cockatoos sociable and playful. They are also demanding birds that need plenty of interaction and cuddle time. They are smart and known for solving puzzles and other games. Sulphur-crested cockatoos can be more independent than other cockatoo species, so get to know your bird’s likes and dislikes. Adult breeder birds of this species are more aloof than those that are hand-raised. Hand-raised babies make the best pets because they develop a more playful attitude and are not demanding pet birds if given enough to do. The larger sulphur-crested cockatoos need more time devoted to training and socializing so that bad behaviors do not develop. To keep these pet birds happy, they need at least one hour of playtime a day as well as exercise time with their owner and several more hours of supervised out-of-the-cage time.

Behavior/Health Concerns:  A stressful household or a lack of the appropriate amount of human interaction can cause bad behavior in these somewhat high-strung pet birds. Sulpher-crested cockatoos also need a range of activities to keep them busy when they are not interacting with humans. If they are not given adequate chewing toys, they will find household items to chew. While these pet birds need attention and time with humans, they must also learn how to be independent and not become accustomed to an excessive amount of human attention. This pet bird does best in a home where it is the only bird. Sulpher-crested cockatoos can become territorial once they have matured and they are often destructive chewers. Without enough mental and physical stimulation, they can resort to destructive behaviors such as feather picking. They are susceptible to psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD), fatty liver disease, obesity and bumblefoot. Sulpher-crested cockatoos are known to be dusty birds, and which is a concern for those with allergies.

Scientific Name:  Cacatua galerita; (Cacatua sulphurea — lesser)

Size:  Medium; Lesser — up to 13 inches; Greater — up to 20 inches

Native Region:  Australia, New Guinea

Life Expectancy:  65 years

Noise Level:  Loud

Talk/Trick Ability:  Moderate

Sulphur Crested Cockatoos Bird:

Sulphur-crested cockatoos are very intelligent but at the same time are noisy and conspicuous. Sulphurs become wonderful pets as they share a strong bond with their owners. Cockatoos are extraordinarily playful and highly energetic birds. The important point to be considered while purchasing a cockatoo is that they are highly social creatures and so they demand a significant amount of your time and attention. When deprived of affection, cockatoos will become depressed or may exhibit other behavioural problems. 

This little bird will live a long healthy life if they are given an ideal caging environment and well-rounded nutrition, apart from your time. They also need plenty of exercise and space to play .The Sulphur Crested Cockatoo makes an exceptional pet as it is capable of learning speech.

Here are some guidelines to provide the best environment and promote good cockatoo behaviour:

The first thing which you must consider is to have a large cage for your bird to do lot of wing flapping without striking the cage bars. Also they need toys to chew on and play with inside the cage.

You must position the cage in a room which gets visited frequently by the family members as they are very social and inquisitive. Look for a corner which gets plenty of sunlight (to help in the development of Vitamin K) and maintain it at eye level as this will keep your cockatoo happy.

Your cockatoo must have a weekly shower. This helps reduce the feather dust and keeps it clean.

You must clean the cage every week but remove the soiled papers almost every day. Provide them fresh fruits, vegetables and water to keep them healthy and happy.

Your cockatoo’s diet should basically be organic and high quality pellets .This diet should also be supplemented with fresh fruits and vegetables daily. Occasionally human foods like chicken, fish, rice, and tofu can also be served to your bird but do ensure that the food is not too hot.

You must avoid giving highly seasoned and fatty processed meats to your Sulphur Crested Cockatoo as this may lead to fatty liver disease or other avian medical conditions.

You must scrub the food and water dishes daily with hot water before placing them into the cage to maintain a healthy environment

You must avoid giving chocolate and caffeine and smoking or using aerosols near the bird as these are very toxic to cockatoos.

It is ideal to have two pet cockatoos in case you cannot commit sufficient time for your pet. The charming avian companions will help each other fight the boredom rather than picking up habits like screaming and feather plucking.

You must provide your pet with a range of activities like bird ladders, swings, ropes, fresh branches for chewing, and rotate bird toys frequently. Also allow them to stay outside the cage for 1-2 hours per day to maintain the physical and psychological balance of this bird.

Distribution / Range

The Sulphur-crested Cockatoo is a common inhabitant of open woodland and forest areas along the east coast of Australia, extending along the northern coast and across the seas into Papua New Guinea.

These birds range throughout the various climates in Australia, from Far North Queensland beyond the Iron Range Mountains, as well as parts of the Snowy Mountains. They are also numerous in Adelaide and Southern South Australia. The nominate Sulphur-crested Cockatoos have been introduced to Perth, which is far outside their natural range.

Outside Australia, these parrots have been introduced to Singapore, where their numbers have been estimated to be between 500 and 2000. They have also been introduced to Palau and New Zealand. In New Zealand the introduced populations may number less than 1000.

They have also been recorded from various islands in Wallacea (such as Kai Islands and Ambon).

Vocalizations: It also has a loud voice, and in captivity is a capable mimic. Their loud calls are meant to travel through the forest environments in which they live, including tropical and subtropical rainforests.

These birds are naturally curious creatures, as well as very intelligent.

These parrots produce a very fine powder to waterproof themselves instead of oil as many other creatures do.

These birds are very long-lived, and can live upwards of 70 years in captivity, although they only live to about 20–40 years in the wild.

Reproduction

Breeding Season

Cockatoos only breed once a year - usually between December and March, when vegetation growth is at its peak and food is readily available.

Courtship and Mating

As part of the courtship behavior, the male ruffles his feathers, spreads his tail feathers, extends his wings, and erects his crest. He then bounces about. Initially, the female ignores or avoids him, but - provided he meets her approval - will eventually allow him to approach her.

Once a male is accepted by the femael, they will be observed preening each other's heads and scratching each other around the tail. This serves to strengthen their pair bond. Eventually, the male will mount the female and perform the actual act of mating by joining of the cloacae. Generally, this ritual is much shorter for bonded pairs, and the female may even approach the male. When the time comes to nest, pairs leave their group and search for a suitable nesting site - which is usually a tree cavity.

Cockatoos form a close bond that lasts for a lifetime. If they are separated, they may slip into a deep depression. In absence of a "true" mate, they may accept a caretaker as its mate.

Diet / Feeding

In their natural habitat, cockatoos typically feed on various seeds, nuts and fruits, such as papaya, durian, langsat and rambutan. As they are also feed on corn growing in fields, they do considerable damage and are, therefore, considered crop pests by farmers. (BirdLife International, 2001)

They also eat large insects, such as crickets (order Orthoptera) and skinks.

Captive birds are usually provided a parrot mix containing various seeds, nuts and dried fruits and vegetables. Additionally, they need to be offered lots of fresh vegetables, fruits and branches (with leaves) for chewing and entertainment.

Behavior

Their distinctive raucous call can be very loud.

These parrots have been known to engage in geophagy, the process of eating clay to detoxify their food.

The Sulphur-crested Cockatoo is a seasonal breeder in Australia, little is known about its breeding behaviour in New Guinea. In southern Australia the breeding season is from August to January, whereas in northern Australia the season is from May to September. The nest is a bed of woodchips in a hollow in a tree. Like many other parrots it competes with others of its species and with other species on nesting sites. Two to three eggs are laid and incubation lasts between 25-27 days. Both parents incubate the eggs and raise the nestlings. The nestling period is between 9 to 12 weeks, and the young fledgelings remain with their parents for a number of months after fledging.

Sulphur-crested as Pets:

These beautiful parrots are frequently sought as companion birds, but as they are demanding pets, they require a devoted owner and continuing obedience training from a young age.

Training and Behavioral Guidance:

Talking: Katie from Texarkana, Texas wrote: "I have a 34 yr old male Fitzroy Greater Sulphur Crested cockatoo that is a fair talker. He doesn't talk as well as the blue front amazon, but he does have a vocabulary. He mimics more than anything: the dog, the car, my laugh, the phone."