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EWPR, Kennewick, WA.
The huge window in the front is
dedicated to many of the parrots that we have here at the Kennewick
Facility. During the summers, we allow the birds to be outside on
their stands or cages for the fresh air and wonderful warmth of the sun.
On the hotter days, which this
was, we have them inside the shaded porch with misters keeping them cool and
happy.
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Photos and information about
Cockatoos
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The Beautiful Cockatoos |
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Cockatoos love to show off and make comical displays with outspread wings, head
bobbing, dancing and loud calls. They are very active and curious about their
environment. Happy cockatoos spend most of their waking time performing, or
examining and manipulating their toys and other cage objects. A single
cockatoo will thrive as a your pet if you devote time and attention to it,
playing with it and sharing affections on a regular daily basis. However, two
pet cockatoos are ideal if you are not able to devote so much time and attention
as the bird will demand. Two will help to prevent bad habits from developing by
a bored bird, such as screeching and feather plucking. |
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Bare-eyed Cockatoo
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Not common, but
becoming more so in the US. Called the Bare-eyed or Little Corella in their
native Australia. These birds are absolutely ridiculous looking; some might
say ugly (not me!); with their eye patches below the eyes, making them look
perpetually baggy-eyed. But they're known as probably the most intelligent,
playful cockatoo, as well as the one with the best talking potential; some
say almost as good as the African grey.
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Citron Crested Cockatoo |
Providing
Citron's with privacy, secure coverage which they can retreat to, and being
aware of their sleep requirements and security issues will go far in
creating a happy well adjusted confident delightful companion. Perhaps one
of the most common misconception about these birds are that they are the
quietest cockatoo. No cockatoos are quiet. Extremely intelligent and
strongly bonding these parrots are delightful. They can entertain themselves
for hours, like foot or puzzle toys and have a long attention span. Long
leather strips with pieces of wood are a favorite toy, which will be woven
into different designs and held and chewed on. Citrons have a reputation for
being skitzy or phobic, nervous or crazy. Providing them with privacy,
secure coverage which they can retreat to, and being aware of their sleep
requirements and security issues will go far in creating a happy well
adjusted confident delightful companion. |
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Ducorp's Cockatoo |
Resembling a
slightly larger, rather more attractive Goffin's with a longer crest, these
birds are available, but rare, in the US. Probably should not be kept as a
pet, but only a breeder, they're not that expensive when they can be found.
The species of
cockatoo
endemic to the
Solomon Islands. This
small white cockatoo is larger than the
Goffin's Cockatoo yet
smaller than the
Umbrella Cockatoo.
Notable features of this cockatoo include a blue eye ring and a
recumbent
crest which resembles a
sail in its raised state. |
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Goffin's Cockatoo |
Goffin's are the
smallest cockatoo, at about 12"-13" long. They're rather odd looking with
those wide eye rings and short, ridiculous-looking crests. They're very
active, and a bit more independent than your average cockatoo... Which makes
them *still* VERY cuddly and attention-loving, but perhaps a bit more
suitable for the average home... a bit. Their noise level is also a bit
lower due to their smaller size, but they're still very loud! (just ask
Dee's
family ;-) |
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Greater Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
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Greater Sulphur-crested
Cockatoos make very loving pets that need lots of attention. They can learn
to talk, as can most cockatoos and are easy to teach all kinds of tricks!
This bird is a very delightful and sweet tempered. Like cockatoos in
general, they are a very loving type of bird. Affection is readily accepted
and returned in kind. They are a pet that not only appreciates interaction
but requires it and needs a lot of attention from their owners. Buy a
cockatoo only if you can spend a lot of time with it. They can be very
long lived with one bird recorded as living for about 120 years. |
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Crested_Cockatoo.jpg)
Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo |
These guys are smaller versions
of their close cousins, the Sulphur Crested Cockatoo. This species includes
the subspecies Citron Crested, or just Citron Cockatoo, which is similar in
looks but larger (15") and has a deeper colored crest and distinct cheek
patch, and the small Timor Cockatoo, which isn't very common. The
"standard" Lesser Sulphur is about 13" long with a yellow crest and cheek
patch. They have somewhat more independent personalities than your standard
cockatoo, and can be a bit more "one-person", but otherwise are basically
typical. |
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Moluccan Cockatoo |
Like a big, pink
version of the Umbrella, these guys are impressive! At 20" long or a bit
more, they're *big*. They range from basically white to a washed out deep
salmon pink; all have that salmon pink crest, leading to the alternate name
of "Salmon Crested Cockatoo". They are the ultimate cockatoo and perhaps
the most demanding of all. They're a bit less active and more laid-back
than the Umbrella, but otherwise still have that ultra-cuddly,
ultra-demanding personality. They're the biggest of the commonly-available
cockatoos and have a voice to match - NOT birds for people with close
neighbors, much less apartments! |
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Rose-breasted Cockatoo |
As
common as pigeons (and just as disliked, more or less) in their native
Australia, these guys are the least available and most expensive of the
easily available cockatoos in the US. The two names are interchangeable,
just plain "Galah" being the preferred moniker in Australia. These guys are
about 13 1/2" long, colored in attractive pinks and grays, with a short,
almost "fuzzy" looking crest. They have more independent, less "touchable"
personalities than your typical 'too, but are still very loving, sweet
birds. And, their voices are not as offensive as most cockatoos are. |
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Slender-billed Cockatoo |
This rare bird is seldom found as either a pet or in collections, but
certainly among the most gregarious and intelligent of the cockatoos. Found
in southeastern Australia, they are usually sighted in smaller groups
foraging on the ground digging for roots and tubers with their long upper
mandibles. They are closely related to the far more common Little Corella or
Bare Eye cockatoo. Their
rather formidable appearance accounts for their rarity. There is no better
bird for pet companionship. The Slender Bill is a vigorous and playful pet
with an aptitude to talk like no other cockatoo |
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Umbrella Cockatoo |
Probably the most
popular cockatoo, these guys take your "typical" cockatoo profile and fit it
to a "T"... plus. They're very, very cuddly, very playful, and very
destructive. They're large, too, about 18" long. Umbrella
Cockatoos can make good pets, as they are sociable, intelligent and they can
learn tricks and be trained. They require a large cage (at least 3ft x 3ft x
5ft) and they need to exercise outside of their cage often. They can imitate
basic human speech, but they are not considered the most able speakers among
parrots. They are not an easy pet to keep and require a lot of time,
devotion and understanding from their caregivers. They can destroy furniture
with their powerful beaks and even the sweetest cockatoo may inflict a
serious bite without provocation. |
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Triton Cockatoo |
The Triton Cockatoo is one of the
world's largest cockatoos. The Triton Cockatoo is also big on personality.
They are generally very affectionate to their owners and seem to have an
endless love of being handled. In fact, some will even demand attention.
These are not birds for people with little time to give. They require a
great deal of time and attention and should never be considered for a home
where they will spend most of their time alone. The Triton Cockatoo also has
a large voice and is not typically well suited for apartment life for this
reason. They are most often loudest in the evening and in the morning. They
are quite vocal and many learn to talk, though they are best known for their
intelligence. |
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