Cockatoos: Loving, Loud and Very Demanding

Think Hard Before You Buy

Popular pet cockatoos include the umbrella, Moluccan, sulphur-crested and Goffin's cockatoos. The cockatiel is a small member of the family and a far easier pet; see cockatiels.

Why Cockatoos Are So Demanding

Cockatoos are flock birds that bond closely, and many hand-reared cockatoos come to expect constant attention. When they don't get it, they scream, and some develop feather-damaging or self-harming behavior that needs an avian vet's help.

Cockatoos also produce powder down, a fine white dust that keeps their feathers in condition. It settles on everything and can trouble people with allergies or asthma, so think about who shares your home and talk to your doctor if you are unsure.

What They Need Every Day

• Company: hours of interaction every day, and a plan for when you're out.
• Space: the Merck Veterinary Manual suggests a cage of at least 40 × 30 × 60 inches (102 × 76 × 152 cm) for small cockatoos, and 48 × 36 × 66 inches (122 × 91 × 168 cm) for large ones, plus daily flying time.
• Independence training: teach your bird to play alone with foraging toys from day one, not to expect you every waking minute.
• Diet: a formulated pellet base with vegetables, as your avian vet advises.
• Clean air: regular cleaning and a good air purifier help with powder down.

See bird cages and stands, foraging and seed vs pellet diets for the details.

CITES and the Law

All cockatoos are listed under CITES. Several, including the Goffin's, Moluccan, lesser sulphur-crested, red-vented and palm cockatoos, are on Appendix I, the highest level of protection. Listings change, so check the exact species.

• Great Britain: species listed in CITES Appendix I are generally treated as Annex A under wildlife trade rules, and buying, selling or commercially displaying them usually needs an Article 10 certificate from APHA. Ask to see the certificate and check its ring or microchip number matches the bird.
• United States: the Wild Bird Conservation Act restricts importing many wild parrot species, and some species are also covered by the Endangered Species Act, which can restrict sales across state lines. Check with the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
• Elsewhere: check with your national CITES authority before buying, selling or moving a bird abroad.

Rules differ by country and by species. Check a species' current listing on the CITES Species+ database, and ask your national authority (APHA in Great Britain, the US Fish and Wildlife Service in the US, or your country's CITES management authority) before buying, selling or traveling.

If You're Still Serious

1. Spend time with the species first: volunteer at a parrot rescue or visit an experienced keeper, at the noisy times of day as well as the quiet ones.
2. Consider adopting: parrot rescues often have cockatoos looking for homes, and can match you with a bird whose personality suits you.
3. Find an avian vet before the bird arrives; see finding a vet.
4. Plan for the long term: who will care for the bird if you can't, and how that will be paid for.
5. Buy only with paperwork: a closed ring or microchip, captive-breeding records and, where needed, the right certificates.

If this all sounds like too much, that's a good answer. A cockatiel, conure or parrotlet gives a lot of parrot personality with fewer decades and decibels.