Eleanora Cockatoos aka Greater Sulfur Crested Cockatoos, Medium Sulphur Crested Cockatoos
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The Eleanora Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita eleonora) is a sub-species of the greater sulfur-crested cockatoo. This cockatoo is native to the Aru islands off Indonesia. Its natural habitat includes the Savannah, scrub, mallee and woodland. They tend to stay close to water and are usually seen in flocks, except during breeding season when they stay in pairs.
Description:
White body; sulfur crest; pale yellow under wings, tail and around ears; light blue eye ring; iris color changes from pale gray to black (males) or red-brown (female) after the second year.
Length: 15-18 inches; Weight:: 275-475 grams; Life span: 40+ years
Breeding:
The Eleanora Cockatoo reaches sexual maturity at 3 years old. The hen incbuates her eggs for about 28 days. The young wean at 14 ato 16 weeks.
Pet Qualities:
Hand-fed cockatoos make exceptionally loving pets. They are both friendly and intelligent, and are very social, affectionate creatures.
Joao describes his pet cockatoo featured to the right as follows:
"He really is an adorable pet. Cockatoos certainly demand attention, however, the Galerita Eleonora sub-species tends to be less needy and more independent. I sure do give mine attention, but only in the evenings. He is fine with his toys during the day. I live in an apartment,. There were never complaints from neighbors. You just have to establish limits from an early stage and be strong about them. Also don't give more attention in the beginning than you will be able to on a regular basis. They learn fast and will respect the rules. Give them lots of love when you can, establish when you can't, house them properly and they make wonderful pets."
Eleanora cockatoos may be less prone to developing behavioral problems such as feather plucking and screaming
They are natural chewers, and as such should be provided with branches or strips of wood to satisfy this strong urge.
Some birds can be quite noisy, especially during the early morning and evening hours. These birds are very affectionate and playful, and can readily be taught to perform tricks. Its talking ability is considered good.
Training and Behavioral Guidance:
Cockatoos certainly demand a lot of attention, but are appreciated for their exceptionally loving, devoted personality that is second to none. Cockatoos require an extremely dedicated owner who is willing to provide significant and meaningful attention to these intelligent parrots. They require consistent training from a young age to ensure potential cockatoo owners enjoy a bird free of destructive and annoying habits. Behavioral challenges that cockatoos present include:
- Excessive Chewing: Any parrot will chew. In nature, they use their beak to "customize" their favorite tree, to enlarge the size of their nest in a tree hollow. Doing this keeps their beaks in good condition. The problem is excessive and undesirable chewing. Undisciplined cockatoos will chew on electric wiring potentially causing house fires. The owner needs to provide plenty of "healthy" chewing opportunities (bird toys, natural wood branches, etc.) and training is necessary to teach a cockatoo what is "off-limits."
- Biting: Cockatoos, as most parrots, are likely to discover their beaks as a method of "disciplining us" once they are out of the "baby stage." It really is important to learn to understand them and to guide their behavior before an undesirable behavior has been established. If this behavior is unchecked, the cockatoo is likely to be dominating the entire family, chasing and attacking their least favorite humans (usually the ones they deem to be a competitor for their human mate's affection). Training is vital to stop this destructive behavior.
- Screaming: Not everybody can tolerate the natural loud call of a cockatoo, and even though it can't (or should not) be entirely eliminated, there are ways to discourage screaming / screeching in your pet cockatoo.
Training and behavioral guidance will help your pet be the kind of companion you want it to be ...
- AvianWeb Resources: I put together web resources for you to help you understand your pet bird and properly direct him. Please visit this website for valuable tips on parrot behavior and training. If you found a way to resolve a "parrot behavioral issue" please share it with others.
- If you are, as I am, a visual learner and prefer step-by-step instructions to train your pet, I recommend:
- the Parrot Training Course to teach your parrot to:
- Stop Biting
- Perform Tricks &
- Tame ANY SIZE bird you could possibly own
- and/or try the "Teach Your Parrot to Talk" Training Course.
- the Parrot Training Course to teach your parrot to:
If you are considering one of these magnificent parrots as pets, please visit the following websites for information:
- Cockatoo General Information
- Procuring your Parrot
- Bird Breeders
- Do you breed this species and would like to be listed? Click here to see your options.
- The 3 Key Elements to Keep Your Pet Bird Happy & Healthy
- Housing Your Bird: The minimum dimensions of its cage should be 24" x 36" with 3/4", with 1" or 1 1/4" bar spacing. Plenty of chew toys and natural branches should be provided to satisfy their urge to chew.
- Bird Nutrition
- Parrot Products
If you would like to add to or correct any of the above information, or would like to share with the AvianWeb visitors your own experiences, please e-mail the AvianWeb Webmaster.
Photo contributions and articles are welcome!
