#GANG GANG COCKATOO AS PETS CRACK#

They demand lots of attention and their curiosity and intelligence means they need a steady stream of objects to examine, play with and destroy.Ĭlimate change is also a major threat, bringing with it fire, drought and the decreased productivity of food trees. They are intelligent and engaging animals but are very social and can suffer if kept on their own for long periods. The wildlife trade has also been a significant threat and though most are now protected by law, in some areas the trade continues illegally.Ĭockatoos have historically made popular pets – although their needs are actually very hard to meet. Their tree hollow nests face many hazards, including various goannas and possums. Large raptors such as the Peregrine Falcon and Wedge-tailed Eagles can be predators of cockatoos. The IUCN’s conservation status for most species is ‘of least concern’ but in South Australia there are threatened populations at state level. The Yellow tailed Black Cockatoos are also thought to be in decline as urban expansion reduces their habitat. The Forest Red-tailed Black Cockatoo is EPBC vulnerable and others are listed at state levels too. The Gang-Gang Cockatoo is also nationally endangered along with The Kangaroo Island Glossy and South-eastern Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo. They’re now confined to an area of south-west Western Australia. Used to maintaining their bills in the wild by chewing wood, in the suburbs they will chew outdoor furniture or window frames.Ĭarnaby’s and Baudin’s Black Cockatoos are both listed as endangered, due to the clearing of its breeding habitat. Cockatoos can also be a nuisance in urban areas. Others (Long Billed Corellas, Little Corellas, Sulphur Crested Cockatoos and Galahs) have adapted well to human changes and in places have become agricultural pests. Threats to cockatoosīeing large birds and nesting in tree hollows, they need large, mature trees for habitat and all species are impacted by habitat loss and land clearing. But in winter or other times of scarcity they can spend most of the day foraging. When food is abundant Cockatoos may spend only a few hours each day foraging and the rest preening in trees. The Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo eats lots of insects – digging in rotting wood for grubs and larvae. The Glossy Black Cockatoo specializes in She-oaks, grabbing cones in its feet and shredding them to extract the seeds. As well as strong bills they have muscular tongues to manipulate seeds and to de-husk them. Often where the fruits are on the end of small branches that won’t support their weight, Cockatoos will hold branches in their feet and bend them closer.

#GANG GANG COCKATOO AS PETS CRACK#

These are too tough for many birds to access but Cockatoos can crack them open. Other species forage for seeds in the trees – Eucalypts, Banksia and Hakea plants store large supplies of seeds in cones or gumnuts. Western and Long-billed Corellas have longer bills to dig out tubers and roots. Galahs, corellas and some of the black cockatoos mostly feed on the ground, and ground feeders tend to forage in larger flocks. In times of plenty flock sizes are smaller, while in droughts some species can gather in flocks numbering thousands of birds.

Cockatoo diet Cockatoos eat seeds, tubers, corns, fruit, flowers and insects. Cockatiels will incubate eggs for around 20 days with larger species such as Glossy Black Cockatoos and Red-tailed Black Cockatoos taking roughly four weeks for incubation and nine weeks until fledgling (around 12 weeks total). Black cockatoo females care for their eggs and nestlings alone, while the work is shared between sexes in other species. Palm Cockatoos and some of the other large species lay a single egg, while smaller species lay between two and eight. Some like Gang Gang Cockatoos are relatively quiet, while the Palm Cockatoos will also drum on dead branches with sticks to communicate over distances. Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo has up to 15 different calls, whereas others have less. Their harsh squawking vocals and the number of different calls varies by species. These noisy birds often feed in large flocks, making their unmistakable presence known (except for glossies – they tend to feed in pairs, trios of mum, dad and fledgling, or small family units). They are diurnal (active in the day), need light to find their food and aren’t early risers, tending to wait until there’s warmth in the sun before feeding. Their movable headcrest is raised when the birds are landing from flight or aroused.2 Like other parrots, cockatoos also have short legs and a waddling gait. They also share with us a tendency to have a preferred foot (most will use their left foot to grip food when they eat). Cockatoo behaviour In captivity cockatoos can live as long as humans.

Gang gang cockatoo as pets