Great Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (photo)

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

The numerous kingdom of birds is rich in diversity of its representatives. Small and big, beautiful and modest, singing and screaming - they are all pleasing to the eye and enjoy the attention of people. Among such an abundance, parrots are best suited for the home. One of these is very popular Sulphur-crested cockatoo.

Description of the bird

The feathered creature has a small head, on it is a decoration - a yellow crest, consisting of narrow long feathers. The tips of the feathers of the tail and wings of a lemon shade, the throat and cheeks are slightly powdered with yellowness, as it were. The skin around the eyes is grayish or whitish, in the form of a ring devoid of feathers.

You can distinguish a female from a male by the iris of the eyes: the female has a brown shell, and the males have a black one. Paws and beak are dark gray, almost black. A little about the size of the yellow-crested cockatoo:

• body length - 48-55cm;
• wing length - 30-40 cm;
• weight of the bird - 810-980 gr.

The feathers of the bird are rounded and white, with a slight yellow coating, soaked in white powder, and when it flaps its wings it scattersalmost invisible cloud, but settles on objects.

I would like to note that the yellow-crested cockatoo looks about the same, only inferior in size and the color of the plumage near the ears is brighter.

Habitat

This species is common in Eastern Australia, New Guinea and Tasmania. The feathered creature lives long and has excellent he alth. You can find it on the territory:

• gardens;
• parks;
• forestlands;
• on cultivated land.

Especially likes to settle in savannahs and fields where there are tall trees, where they settle down for the night or hide from the scorching sun. There must be a pond nearby to quench your thirst and take water procedures.

Great Sulphur-crested Cockatoo settles in flocks of 30 individuals, but no more. The most active time for birds is morning or late evening. Birds are fast flyers and excellent tree climbers.

Food

In its natural environment, the parrot eats fruits from trees. The main menu is:

• pine cones;
• fruits;
• kidneys;
• inflorescences;
• berries;
• nuts;
• small insects;
• larvae;
• seeds.

Does not disdain to pluck the flowers and pull the roots out of the plant, since the beak allows.

The voice of parrots is nasty. They scream when they fly, express dissatisfaction or get scared. It looks like some kind of satanic screams that are carried over long distances.

Reproduction

The Sulphur-crested Cockatoo parrot nests in the hollows of tall eucalyptus trees near a pond. If there are no such trees nearby, then the birds nest in the crevices of the rocks.

To attract a lady, a male with a raised tuft approaches her, shaking his head up and down and to the sides. The tail of the male is upturned. If the female accepts the attentions of such a handsome man, mating occurs.

Nests are built together at a high altitude, from 4 to 35 m. The size of the eggs is small - 4.6x3.3 cm. At night, the female sits in the nest, during the day the parents alternate. The future offspring hatch for a month.

Chicks hatch blind, naked, with open ears. After two weeks, babies are able to hold their heads and sit up to sleep with their heads buried in their paws. After about 2.5 months, the chicks fledge. Feathers first appear on the head, tail and wings. Parrots will fly out of the nest already on the 70th day, but remain with their parents for the whole year. Puberty in chicks occurs by 3 years.

Population status

The popularity of the bird in European countries and America is not the same as at home. In Australia, the cockatoo is under the protection of the law, the capture of individuals is strictly prohibited. So all yellow-crested cockatoos in stores are nursery-grown. They are purchased so that it would be more fun at home, not suspecting what kind of “fun” a parrot can actually arrange. Future owners hope that the bird will entertain them, but in fact, on the contrary, the owners will entertain.

The parrot does not tolerate loneliness, and if it realizes that someone is walking in the next room, then with heart-rending cries, until it is approached, it will yell, keeping the neighbors in good shape.

At home, these birds have a reputation tarnished by the fact that they can destroy crops, causing severe damage to agriculture. In such cases, the state gives permission to farmers to shoot birds.

Captivity

The yellow-crested cockatoo is best kept in indoor enclosures or in solid metal cages. The shape of the cage does not matter, but the dimensions must be at least 100 by 100 cm and 170 cm high so that the bird moves freely.

In the cage needed:

• House for rest and sleep - 40x40x100 cm.
• A pair of perches made of strong wood, at least 5 cm thick. They should be made cone-shaped, well fixed and positioned so that the parrot sitting on them does not touch the ceiling of the cage.
• Firmly install the feeder and drinker. Wash them daily.
• You will need a calcium bar to grind down the beak.
• Mandatory - a reliable lock on the door. The strong beak of the parrot and his resourcefulness will easily open simple bolts, and he will go on a tour of the house.
• Toys for a parrot are necessary, as well as for a dog. Bell, multi-piece puzzle, balls. Toys must be made from natural materials (wood, coconut fiber or durable plastic).

The pet's cage should be cleaned and washed regularly. Disinfection is carried out every 7 days. Parrots are very fond of swimming, so the cage should have a mini-pool or spray the bird with a spray bottle.

Character

The photo of the Sulphur-crested cockatoo brings a smile, it seems that this cute creature will amuse others with its funny tricks. Nothing like this! The parrot does what he wants, not the owner. It will take kilometers of nerves to train a bird, not because it is stupid, but because it is wayward and capricious.

The parrot always lacks attention. The owner will go to work to the heart-rending cries of the pet, any leaving the room where the bird is located will be accompanied by satanic cries. Silence will be ensured only at night or when there is no light in the room.

If the parrot is hungry, with the first ray of the sun, a wild cry will wake up the whole house, no matter that today is a holiday and the clock is 04:30. The neighbors will wake up too.

In a stressful situation, the parrot will squeal wildly (the cry of a baby is multiplied by 5 times). What is a stressful situation is a miracle:

• tangled in the toy;
• something pecked and hit its paw;
• frightened by the shadow of his tail;
• heard a sharp sound.

Any whims of a bird are accompanied by strikes and a hunger strike in the form of a furious throwing out of food, often along with a bowl. All this is done with such a psycho that the food is scattered in the rain in different directions.

Yes, the bird looks beautiful and funny. He tries to talk, dance, do different tricks, parody the behavior of the owners, imitate different sounds. All this pleases and amuses.

But don't forget the bird's beak. Even if the parrot loves its owner very much, the latter should be wary of the integrity of his eyebrows, ears, lips, tendons and nose. A parrot without mood can easily bite. People who come to visit are out of the question.

An inquisitive bird, released to spread its wings and fly around the apartment, will show interest in everything. You can generally say goodbye to the keys on a computer, along with the Internet due to a gnawed wire. The bird will gladly drop a wall clock to the floor, break a stretch or suspended ceiling. Uprooting a flower and scattering soil around is considered happiness.

Don't think that with age this satShe will settle down, become tame and affectionate.

Great Sulphur-crested Cockatoo gets great reviews - from those who don't have it or if it lives in a special enclosure. Who in the apartment has a more restrained opinion.

What to feed

The diet of birds is quite extensive. If seeds, then it can be:

• sunflower;
• millet;
• pumpkin;
• oats;
• wheat;
• pine nuts.

From vegetables it is desirable to include in the menu:

• carrot;
• beets;
• pepper;
• beans;
• cucumbers.

Parrots are very fond of fruits:

• grapes;
• apples;
• peaches;
• mango.

And much more. Be sure the bird's body needs greens:

• salad;
• celery;
• cabbage;
• turnip tops.

Besides, give them protein food:

• cottage cheese;
• cheese;
• eggs;
• small bones;
• mealworm larvae.

You can not treat the bird with s alty foods, sugar, fried foods, coffee, parsley, chocolate. Parrots are fed 2 times a day, in the morning and in the evening. Before you start a bird, you should think carefully and weigh the pros and cons. The yellow-crested cockatoo is not a budgerigar.