Long- or Slender-billed Corella or Slender-billed Cockatoos

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The Long-billed Corella, Cacatua tenuirostris, is native to Australia.

Specifically they can be found in the wild around western Victoria and southern New South Wales.

Feral populations have also sprung up in Sydney and Perth from the release of unwanted birds. This has serious implications in Western Australia where they may hybridize with the endangered southern race of the Western Corella

.The Long-billed Corella has a small distribution, usually inhabiting woodlands, river banks and farming land. It is getting increasingly seen in urban areas as well.

Description:

Long-billed Corellas measure about 40cm in length, have a wingspan of about 80-90cm and average 640g in weight.

The plumage is mostly white, with a pink face and forehead. There are also some faintly pink feathers on the breast and belly, and yellow is visible on the underside of the wings and tail.

These cockatoos have long white beaks.

Diet / Feeding:

These cockatoos use their long beaks to dig for roots and seeds - their primary diet.

Corellas as Pets

Although they were once uncommon as pets, their population has stabilized in the last decade. One of the reasons why Long-billed Corellas have gained popularity as pets may very well be its amazing ability to mimic words and whole sentences to near perfection. The long-billed corella has been labeled the best "talker" of the Australian Cockatoos - possibly even of all native parrot species.

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.

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


• The 3 Key Elements to Keep Your Pet Bird Happy & Healthy


• Housing Your Bird


• Bird Nutrition


• Parrot Products

Taxonomy:

Genus: English: White Black-billed Cockatoos ... Dutch: Wit & Zwartsnavelkakatoes ... German: Eigentliche Kakadus ... French: Cacatoès

Species: Scientific: Cacatua tenuirostris aka Psittacus tenuirostris / Licmetis nasica ... English: Long-billed Cockatoos ... Dutch: LangsnavelKakatoe, Neuskakatoe ... German: Nasenkakadu, Langschnabelkakadu ... French: Cacatoès à longe bec corella

Sub-Species / Races Including Nominate: pastinator, tenuirostris

CITES II - Endangered Species ... Distribution: South-eastern Australia

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