Last Updated on by Mitch Rezman
The two most popular big White Cockatoos are the Moluccan Cockatoo and Umbrella Cockatoo. A Petco Molucaan care sheet says “they are one of the most affectionate and loving of all parrots”. Judy from Judy Leach’s parrots says that Molucaans can be easily spoiled as babies and can become demanding and will begin screaming to get attention. How loud is Moluccan cockatoo? To put this in perspective a 747 jumbo jet produces 140 dB of sound. Moluccan Cockatoos are the loudest bird in the world and can scream at 135 dB. Click here if you’d like to hear a sample Moluccan Cockatoo scream.
Probably the most popular Cockatoo is the Umbrella Cockatoo. Baby Umbrellas can be extremely cuddly. Parent Umbrellas (and Molucaans) spend an amazing amount of time and attention doting on their offsprings. Hand-fed babies just love their human caregivers. Thus we have birds that are extraordinarily affectionate and yet at the same time can be very annoying and demanding as adults.
If you’re thinking of getting one of these big cockatoos your first consideration is to look around your home and make sure you have enough space for a very large cage. They really require birdcage almost 4 feet wide by 3 feet deep if at all possible. A big birdcage filled with lots of challenging toys will have a positive impact on the relationship between birds and humans, actually acting as a buffer between you and the bird.
Major Mitchell Cockatoos are smaller (about 14″ long – 350-400 grams) & are absolutely gorgeous but they’re less suitable as pets because they become more aggressive as they mature. So if you’re looking for a smaller Cockatoo consider a Bare Eyed Cockatoo. They can be a bright and active social bird and make a wonderful family pet. They are naturally entertaining to go along with their comical look.
Galah Cockatoos are engagingly beautiful (about 14″ long – 350-400 grams) and can be great pets much easier to keep some of the other Cockatoo species. They don’t have to be out of the cage as much as big Cockatoos and they are less needy. Their playful demeanor will easily allow you to scratch their heads are beaks which will make them quite appreciative.
Ducorp’s Cockatoos are small (about 14″ long – 350-400 grams) and have the distinction of being able to be sexed by eye color (although not 100% reliable) when mature. Although juveniles of either sex have little brown eyes, the eyes of mature males are usually dark brown or black while the eyes of a mature female Ducorps are red.
Red Tail Black Cockatoos, are large (almost 24 inches long) can live like 100 years and can be as vocal as any of the large Cockatoos They generally don’t get along well with children and other pets although we have customers and Facebook fans who do care for one or more. We’re told that if you don’t pay attention to these birds they can develop behavioral issues.
If you’ve never heard of the Yellow-crested Abbot’s Cockatoo, you’re not alone. Found in the wild only on a single island (tiny Masakambing Island; 500 ha) in the Masalembu Archipelago (Indonesia) and is the world’s most rare Cockatoo. They were only recently rediscovered in 2008 and it’s believed there are only about 10 of these Cockatoos in existence or least that’s how many have been identified. The biggest danger to these birds is the acquisition of them by government officials who keep them as pets because of the prestige of having such a rare bird is a companion animal.
Cockatiels are one of the most popular kept pet birds in America. Although smaller than most cockatoos they are in fact a member of the cockatoo family. To learn more about Cockatiels please click here
By request from one of our Facebook fans, Teresa – we will start off talking about the Goffin cockatoo. Known formally as the Tanimbar Corella. These adorable little birds are about 12 inches long from head to tail. The males weigh about 300 g (about 10 oz) and the females weigh about 50 g less. Like many other cockatoos, they have a crest they raise and lower on top their head. As Cockatoos go, this one is a quieter Cockatoo which makes it a terrific pet. You have to be careful what you do in front of these birds like opening the cage latch because they will watch it and mimic it rather quickly.
Sulfur Crested Cockatoos come in two flavors big (Greater) and small (Lesser). The Greater Sulfur Crested Cockatoo is a big bird and grows from 18 to 22 inches long and weighs as much as 2 pounds (about 900 g). The Lesser is Crescent Cockatoos and is normally about 13 to 15 inches long. They can live for 70 to 80 years and although they can be very affectionate, they may be quite vocal. When they are raised as hand-fed babies and if their owners lavish lots of attention on them over their lifetime they can be great pets capable of learning how to talk and learn tricks while providing lots of fun.
The Long-billed Corella got quite a few comments on our Facebook fan page about the length of its beak. People were concerned that it’s beak needed trimming – that’s why they are called Long-billed Corellas. You don’t see them as pets in the United States much but they’re quite popular in Australia and actually considered one of the best talkers of the Cockatoo family. Found in South Eastern Australia through Western Victoria. They are generally considered a pest of grain crops and fruit trees and permits are sometimes issued to allow the hunting of these birds.
The Blue-eyed Cockatoo is sadly rare in the wild and in captivity and is now classified as endangered species. Not be confused with the Bared Eyed cockatoo, also known as a little Corella. They are generally 18 to 20 inches long and weigh between 500 and 570 g (18 and 20 ounces) Blue-eyed Cockatoos have zygodactyl grey feet (the first and fourth toes of each foot are directed backward and the second and third forward. This allows the Blue-eyed Cockatoo to hold objects and bring food to its beak while standing on the other foot). Like most Cockatoos, they are pretty noisy and destructive so if you’re considering one as a pet, they need a lot of chew toys, a lot of wood branches and toys that make them work for food to keep them mentally stimulated. They generally live about 40 years in captivity and about 50 to 60 years in the wild.
Bare-eyed Cockatoos get mixed reviews from people because of their bare eye patch. They can make great pets and they tend to be more independent than the Umbrella cockatoos. This makes them less demanding and they may be quite possibly less noisy. Bare-eyed Cockatoos grow to a total length of about 15 inches which is a smidge larger than the Goffin cockatoo. If you’re thinking of a Cockatoo for a pet, the Bare-eyed Cockatoo would make a great candidate.
The Black Palm Cockatoo is big – it will reach an average length of about 24 inches with a wingspan as much as 15 inches. They can weigh as much as 1100 g (about 2 1/2 pounds) have a huge massive upper beak considerably larger with males than with females. These birds are considered one of the most beautiful of all the Cockatoos and although they are fact black in color they have a powder down which coats the glossy beak and gives the black feathers a grayish cast. In spite of their size, they are docile, loving and affectionate and make great pets. They have a wide range of vocalizations and also communicate in unique ways. In the wild, they will stomp on a perch to make noise and uses sticks or nuts to drum loudly to attract a mate.
Red-tailed Black Cockatoos like the Black Palm Cockatoo a large at about 24 inches long. They are sexually dimorphic meaning the males are totally black except for the prominent red band on their tales. The slightly smaller females have a yellow barring on their chest contrasting with their all-black bodies. The yellow barring grades down to red spots on their crest. Their cheeks and wings have yellow-orange stripes. Because are so beautiful they are very attractive and like many Australian cockatoos are threatened by illegal smuggling. They have a high demand but many die in transit than are actually sold. These birds are very expensive and can be bought anywhere between $15-$40,000 so you don’t see a lot of them as pets. We’re not sure how good they are as pets so if anybody has one let us know – we’d like to share.