Cockatoos belong to parrot family. Cockatoos’ live pine rain forests and eucalyptus groves. They are built well and larger than parrots. Cockatoos have showy crests and curved bills. The crests can be raised when needed. The plumage color is white/grey/black in color. They have zygodactyls foot, the foot with two toes facing forwards and two back. The strong beak helps in climbing the branches. The wings are long and broad. The life span of cockatoos is about 20-30 years.
The larger cockatoos are Sulphur crested cockatoo and Major Mitchell’s cockatoo. Cockatoos’ food includes fruits, flowers, tubers, seeds, and insects. They store their food in their large crops. They have powerful beaks to open the fruits to eat seeds. They find
their food during the day time. They have one partner during its life time. They live in tree hollows.
Cockatoos are popular birds, they are kept as pets at homes. They are very active, intelligent, curious, emotional and social birds. They seek attention and affection all the time. They can imitate and be problematic too. At times they may show bad tempers and throw tantrums.
They are capable of learning words and phrases. They scream when they need attention and constantly need items for chewing and destroying. They love to exhibit or display with comical acts with outspread wings, head bobbing, dancing with loud calls giving a performance. Their play includes loud calls and shrieks. They show body movements to music and can be dance happily.
They love playing with toys, and can play throughout the day. A happy cockatoo spends most time performing or examining and manipulating its toys. You need to spend a good amount of time playing with it, interacting and sharing affections on daily basis. They become bored if they don’t get necessary attention and interaction. Bored cockatoo are notorious; they develop bad habits like screeching and feather plucking. Having two pets’ cockatoos can be ideal to prevent boredom. They develop friendly relationship with dogs and cats.
They keep themselves clean by preening throughout the day. The vocalization of cockatoo is harsh and very loud. They call to alert predators and for protecting their nests. The can bathe in different ways, flying in the air and hanging upside down.