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It is difficult to imagine a more
beautiful bird than the Citron Crested cockatoo.
Originally from the island of Sumba in Indonesia, this subspecies of the
Lesser Sulfur
Citrons are approximately 12 to 13 inches long and weigh 360 to 425 grams. The males are usually larger than the females. Their medium size and sweet personality make them the perfect parrot for many people. The citron has often been called the quietest of all the cockatoos – assuming ANY cockatoo can be called quiet! While they might lack the volume of the big guys, (their screech is rather low pitched and raspy), they are more than capable of rattling the windows when they get wound up. A single bird is likely to be quieter than one that has another bird to “talk” to. Citrons are sometimes described as being
nervous or easily frightened, but it should be remembered that all of the Lesser
Sulfur Cresteds, as well as many other species of parrots are sensitive,
hyper-vigilant, high-energy birds. Their natural There are things that can be done to greatly minimize the chance of fear
or Citrons
and Lesser Sulfur Crested cockatoos are delightful, affectionate, outgoing
companions for people who treat them with gentleness and sensitivity.
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Contact us:
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Copyright Hornbeam Aviary 2001 |
Crested
cockatoo has become rare throughout its range because of deforestation and
trapping for the pet trade. Though not common, they are bred in reasonable
numbers in captivity.
reaction to anything that frightens them is to put as much distance between them
and the scary thing as possible, even if it is something their owner is holding
or wearing. People often frighten sensitive parrots by reaching for them
suddenly, by putting a new toy in their cage, or by trying to hand them to
strangers. The bird might cope with this fairly well for awhile, but fear and
anticipation of the dreaded event builds up and leads to an eventual panic
attack – which often catches the owner completely by surprise. The owner often
compounds the problem by chasing the frightened bird down to catch, hold and
comfort it, instead of immediately leaving it alone to calm down and forget. The
bird becomes convinced that its much-loved owner is no longer trustworthy, and
the end result is a “phobic” bird that fears being handled or restrained in
any way.
phobic
behavior ever getting started. Babies that grow up and fledge in close proximity
with other cockatoos are less likely to be unstable because they are able to
study the reactions of the more experienced birds - just as they would watch
their parents - to find out how to behave in any given situation.
-also to give a feeling of security. But most importantly, owners must
learn to observe their bird's body language so that they know when it is
uncomfortable with a situation. The likelihood of phobic behaviors
surfacing seems to lessen after the first year or two.