White Cockatoo

Physical Description

White Cockatoos, also called the Umbrella Cockatoos, are known for their distinct white feathers and their broad, backward-bending crest, which opens like an umbrella and fans out. They can use these crest feathers to communicate with each other. Their average wingspan is 9-12 inches.

Predators

They can be preyed on by birds of prey, snakes, and cats.

Lifespan

Cockatoos can live 60 years or more, but some in human care have been known to live over 100 years!

Reproduction

Both parents will help incubate the eggs. Once hatched, the parents will typically only care for the healthier chick. Chicks will learn to fly by the time they are 3 months old, but they will still be dependent on their parents for another 2-3 weeks after that.

Fun Facts

• Cockatoos are known to be intelligent and have even been seen using branches as tools!
• They have a beak that is strong enough to break a human finger!

Conservation Messaging

Lorikeets and Cockatoos are often viewed as these beautiful and intelligent birds. While many people will fall in love with exotic birds for that reason, most of these birds are considered vulnerable, threatened, or endangered out in the wild.

By purchasing and owning an exotic animal, you could be supporting the illegal exotic pet trade. What we see is vibrant colors of a parrot or the incredible ability to mimic sound but what we don’t see is how these animals were first illegally poached from the wild. One more exotic pet in captivity is one less animal in the wild which is resulting in species population numbers dropping drastically.