Temperament , Diet , and Care Tips
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A fresh - natured mintage , umbrella cockatoos can be overly lovesome — bordering on obsessive — with their caretaker . These birds may postulate more attention and care than many other coinage , but they make up for it with their risible charm .
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Umbrella cockatoo are popular for doing conjuring trick , take a crap them delightfully entertaining fellow for bird lovers . Just as with any bird , however , prospective owners should be certain that they can meet the needs of an umbrella cockatoo before acquiring one .
Learn more about the umbrella cockatoo ’s appearance , temperament , and upkeep motivation .
Species Overview
Common Names : Umbrella cockatoo , white cockatoo , white - crest cockatoo
Scientific Name : Cacatua alba
Adult Size:18 to 24 inches in duration
living Expectancy:70 or 80 years or more in captivity with right fear
Origin and History
Umbrella cockatoo are aboriginal to the tropics of Indonesia . These birds originally herald from the Maluku Islands in the central and northern parts of the archipelago . They are now unremarkably found throughout all Indonesia .
you could obtain these birds in forests , Rhizophora mangle , swamp , and open forest . They love experience along river and the edges of clearings and farmland , which ply a bounty of food . Due to the conversion of their native lands to farmland , the birds pick at crops and Fannie Merritt Farmer consider them a pain in the neck . The umbrella cockatoo species universe is declining due to a loss of their habitat , Hunter , and trappers . Vulnerable to hazard , umbrella cockatoos are now a protected specie .
Temperament
Umbrella cockatoo are gentle , teachable , and odorous - temper by nature , making them well - become to be fellow Bronx cheer . In the wild , umbrella cockatoos mate for living . They form a very close bond with their Ilex paraguariensis , perhaps more than other species ofcockatoos . They will join modest flocks of umbrella cockatoo and are rarely apart from their mate . If a mated pair is fall apart , it is not uncommon for each of the birds to become genuinely depressed .
seldom aggressive , they will quickly work strong bonds with their caretaker . These lovesome birds love to cuddle with their individual , bird , or even object of choice . Equally loving and devoted possessor are a good match for these parrots . This species beg to be flub , so plan on at least one to two minute of grooming , tending , and enrichment per Clarence Day .
Umbrellas are very societal and healthy . They are capable of learning and perform a broad variety of tricks , such as using a twig to scratch their back , deal a bowing , playing fetch , and terpsichore . easy trainable , they are often featured as the star of bird shows . Short , daily grooming sessions concede the best resolution .
To prevent your bird from becoming world-weary , have an arsenal ofsafe bird toysat your disposal . This species is not known for its mimicry of human language , but does screech loudly to vocalise displeasure or hullabaloo .
Speech and Vocalizations
While the episodic cockatoo can imitate human oral communication , in general , these chick are not good talkers or imitators of sound . They can learn over 50 Book , but they ’ll often scream rather than talk . They have aloud , grating screech or screamand may hiss when alert . In the wild , their meretricious vocalizations are used for communicating and could carry over long distances .
In immurement , they often use loud squawk to call for attention . For this reason , umbrella cockatoos may not be the best choice for those who live in flat or condominium or anyone with close neighbors . You ca n’t terminate these birds from being loud , but if you do n’t reinforce the demeanor by giving them attention , even to secernate them to tranquillize down , you might be capable to thin out the screech .
Umbrella Cockatoo Colors and Markings
Umbrella cockatoos are chiefly white-hot with a virtuous livid crest , and this is a feature of speech that can help you spot them from other cockatoo mintage . When court a mate , agitated , excited , frightened , or even just foiled , their peak will raise into an impressive umbrella - like lover . It can also be a particular direction to express curiosity at something fresh and , quite often , is a warning that the shuttlecock wants to be left alone . It ’s also a honest warning sign that the bird may bite if approached .
The undersides of their wing and tail feathers are a pale yellowed semblance that look beautiful when in flight .
Although the colouring of male person and female person is mostly the same , males are distinctly larger . Males have panoptic heads and larger beaks . Umbrella cockatoos have mordant schnozzle and gray or contraband feet . Some show a touch of light blue in the tintinnabulation around their eyes . The iris of males are usually coloured Brown University , appearing nearly black . A ripe female ordinarily has crimson - chocolate-brown irises .
Caring for the Umbrella Cockatoo
Umbrella cockatoo are not the ideal deary for first - time Bronx cheer owner , and are better suitable to those who have experience with other birds , such as parrot .
These are big birds that require a largecageand play area . Get an inclosure that is as declamatory as potential since these snort do not enjoy containment . This species may act out or become very unhappy in a plastered space , which can lead to ego - mutilation or malady .
Diurnal birds , umbrella cockatoo require continuous sleep every night for 10 to 12 hour . Good nap is all important for assert their wellness and eudaemonia .
Cockatoos have a powdery down and discharge dust into the environment , so they may not be ideal for those with allergies or other respiratory issues . Bathe the birdregularly to reduce this naturally emitted dusty pith .
Common Health Problems
Umbrella cockatoo can develop some of thediseasesthat other pet hiss can get , such as :
Diet and Nutrition
Like all large parrots , umbrella cockatoo are big feeder . In the wild , they expend most of the day looking for food . Seeds , nuts , coconuts , and grain in James Leonard Farmer ’s fields are received favorites in their dieting .
As a pet , about 80 % of their dieting should be a formulated pelleted dieting . The rest of their intellectual nourishment should consist of a wide variety of vegetables , including leafy greenness and root vegetables . High - quality grain , such as quinoa and other ancient grains , fresh sprouts , and fresh fruit are great dietetic option for this specie . refreshful water should be available at all times .
On occasion , feast them healthy nuts , such as Prunus amygdalus , filbert , Carya illinoensis , and walnut . you’re able to also offer healthy seeds like hangman’s halter , milk thistle , or flaxseed as treats .
Exercise
Umbrella cockatoos are participating birds . Like allparrots , they need to spend at least two hr out of their cage each 24-hour interval for drama and exercise . Provide your bird several cuttable bird miniature to practice the boo ’s sinewy beak . circumvolve the toys once in a while to prevent ennui .
Toys are helpful for exercise , as well as stimulation and enrichment . you could learn your cockatoo to encounter game like grab on the floor with a whiffle lump . Structured playday is essential for bonding and allowing the bird to stretch out their muscles .
To encourage and increase natural process within the enclosing , tally plenty of ladders and swing . These are enriching additions to the environment that will allow your cockatoo to move about and burn off Energy Department in a positivistic way .
Pros of Umbrella Cockatoos
Cons of Umbrella Cockatoos
Where to Adopt or Buy an Umbrella Cockatoo
Pricing from a breeder can range from $ 1,000 to $ 4,000 .
Umbrella cockatoos are one of the most mutual types of cockatoos possess in the U.S. Since these parrots ' needs tend to be need , rescue organizations are full of undesirable cockatoos . It is not unusual for an umbrella cockatoo to go to their 2nd home base by the time they are 3 year former . To rescue one , contact theCenter for Avian Rescue , Adoption , and Education , which maintains a directory of reputable bird deliverance throughout the U.S.
For a listing of reputable cockatoo breeder , make out toBeauty of Birds . If you ’re going the breeder route , probe thebreeder . Ask how long they have been breeding and working with the species you ’re concerned in and tour their facility . When perusing their inventory , depend for signs of in effect overall health of the flock . The birds should be active and alert with bright eyes , clear feather , and full crop .
More Pet Bird Species and Further Research
If you ’re interested in similar species , watch out :
Otherwise , delay out all of our otherbird species .
Umbrella cockatoos are expensive . Reputable breeders might charge anywhere from $ 1,000 to $ 4,000 for these birds .
You might be able to train your umbrella cockatoo to say sealed words , but this coinage is not known for its ability to lecture .
No , umbrella cockatoo are loud parrots . They scream and screech , and this is something that needs to be look at before bringing one of these birds into your home .
