The umbrella cockatoo is one of the popular big species of cockatoo. Breeding success in captivity is pretty good, making it a common species to find in pet shops or with pet owners. Because of this the prices vary a lot. An umbrella cockatoo will go for anything between $1500 and $3000 USD. Umbrella Cockatoos are medium-sized cockatoos that weigh between 17 oz (480 g) up to 25 oz (700 g) - the average being 20 oz (565 g). They average 18 inches or 46 cm in length. Their wings measure between 9.84 - 12.2 inches or 25 to 31 cm. (Arndt and Pittman, 2003; Juniper and Parr, 1998). Umbrella Cockatoos are large white parrots with brown / reddish or black eyes, dark grey beaks and legs. The umbrella cockatoo, also known as the white cockatoo or the great white-crested cockatoo, is well-known in bird circles as being one of the most affectionate and affable companion birds widely available on the market today. An Indonesian native, the umbrella is slightly smaller than the Moluccan cockatoo, but is not smaller in personality or charm. This out-going cockatoo is infamous for its outlandish antics and for being clingy with its owners. The umbrella can be distinguished from other white cockatoos by its wholly white crest that raises like an umbrella when the bird is excited, agitated, or ready to play (or bite!). Both the beak and legs are a dark gray, and the feathers on the undersides of the wings and tail are light yellow.
NATURAL HABITAT
Within their natural range, they are found at elevations of 1,000 to 3,000 ft (300 to 900 m) in a variety of habitats, including forests and open woodland, mangroves, swamps and agricultural areas (where they are considered "pests" since they feed on the crop). They are particularly common along the edges of clearings and rivers.
CARE & FEEDING
The umbrella cockatoo is a long-term commitment for an owner — this species can live up to 70 years with proper care and attention. Unfortunately, many of these sensitive birds don’t live that long. They are prone to self-mutilation and the infections that result from that abnormal behavior.
Because this bird is large and hates being confined to the point of chewing and picking out its feathers, it requires a large space to live in, preferably an enormous, well-build cage with a top that opens into a playstand. An umbrella can’t live happily in a small space, and will become weary and apathetic or agitated and aggressive if confined.
The umbrella cockatoo owner should have experience with parrots before taking on this feathered handful. This is not a good first bird, nor is a good child’s pet. The umbrella also tends to become spoiled very easily, and will not take well to changes in routine, or additions to the family, such as an infant or new puppy.
Food for cockatoos should be nutritious, but should also include a foraging element as well. Cockatoos are fun-loving, intelligent and energetic parrots, and their food should reflect those traits. Wild cockatoos forage all day for seeds and nuts, as well as coconuts and grain crops. Like all companion parrots, cockatoos do not thrive on birdseed alone. Cockatoo food shouldn’t be boring to eat, either, and will love foods like Avi-Cakes, Nutri-Meals, Pellet-Berries, Nutri-Berries, and Lafeber’s Premium Daily Diet Pellets.
Feeding fruits and vegetables to your cockatoo is crucial to its health and well-being. Give him at least one fruit or one piece of fruit a day, the size adjusted to yours birds body size. You can choose out of many different fruits: apple, banana, pear, grape, tangerine, orange, mango, strawberry, blue berry, melon or pineapple. Every cockatoo has his own preference, so please try what your bird likes best. The only exception is avocado, this is poisonous to parrots and cockatoos!
It is also important and healthy to feed your bird some vegetables and legumes, like broccoli, cauliflower, beans, potatoes, peas, carrots or corn. All these food items need to be cooked before feeding them, as they cannot be eaten raw. Without cooking you can feed him carrot, cucumber or lettuce but generally cockatoos will not prefer to eat this.
You can feed your cockatoo once every two – three days a mix of cooked vegetables and legumes. Do not use salt, sugar or any other additives to the vegetables. Canned vegetables are not suitable as they are prepared with salt and sometimes also sugar.
Another serious consideration for a new owner is the powder dust that these cockatoos emit, which can irritate those owners with sensitive respiratory systems or allergies. Use air purifiers if you have room for them, as these items help to cut down on the dust. Regular bathing with clear, warm water will also help.
PERSONALITY & BEHAVIOR
The umbrella cockatoo certainly makes a charming, affectionate pet, but it’s not for everyone. This bird can be as fickle as the weather, playing one minute and screaming and nipping the next. Birds will be birds, with all of their quirks and caprices, and umbrellas are no exception, though the informed umbrella owner is fortunate to live with this extraordinary bird that was named after something ordinary — and indispensable.
The umbrella desires nothing more than to cuddle with the object of its desire, and can become overly attached to other birds or objects in the pet shop, leading to serious disappointment when these birds or objects are sold — these birds are extremely sentimental! In the wild, the umbrella is never without a companion, and the captive umbrella has the same instinctual patterning to bond to a mate, or at least to have a special friend. The best way to make an umbrella cockatoo unhappy is to keep it in isolation.
SPEECH & SOUND
The noise level of this bird is extremely high. It is prone to bouts of loud screaming, especially if it is isolated, locked in a cage, or doesn’t get its way. Screaming is often a measure of the bird’s displeasure — the louder the more significant the disapproval of its circumstances. Many cockatoos are re-homed because of their superior voices. On the up side, the umbrella can be taught to talk and may acquire a vocabulary of more than 50 words, though most will not learn that many. Often, a bird that learns to talk may substitute screaming for talking — but not all of the time.
BREEDING
Umbrella Cockatoos only breed once a year - usually between December and March, when vegetation growth is at its peak and food is readily available.
HOUSING
Upon purchase of the Umbrella Cockatoos parrot, a recommended parrot cage is given for free.
