The Exotic Bird Cockatoo
In southern australia, where sulphur-crested cockatoos live in large flocks, the bird has evolved a warning system to avoid being caught by predators.
The sulphur-crested cockatoo is a very noisy bird. He is one of Australia's loveliest sights.
The cockatoo is found in the open wooded country of Australia. They are a sociable bird except during breeding season. They form flocks for feeding. They feed on a variety of seeds, nuts, flowers, fruits and insects. The cockatoo will return each day to the same feeding site, until the food supply is all gone. Then they restart the hunt for another site that is abundant in food, enough for the whole flock. Farmers can be extremely aggravated with them, because they eat the new seeds and young crops. But they also help by eating weeds and insects.
Sulphur crested cockatoos perform a brief courtship ritual. Both the male and female prepare the nest, they seek large holes in old trees and they will build on cliff sides. They are both responsible for the raising of the young. The male and female also protect the eggs from predators. They incubate the eggs for thirty days. When the chicks hatch, both parents continue to protect and feed them until they a three months old. At this time, they will leave the nest to hunt on their own. The sulphur-crested cockatoo has a lifespan of twenty years in the wild. In captivity they can leave up to fifty years.
The sulphur-crested cockatoo has been captured through the years for pets. They can be tamed and make very good pets. They are able to mimic human's speech, and some can remember up to 1,000 phrases.
This cockatoo is a protected species throughout Australia. They can be breed in captivity. Their population in the wild is in no threat.