Backyard Buddies: Sulphur-crested Cockatoos - Cockier than Jagger | The Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife

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Backyard Buddies: Sulphur-crested Cockatoos - Cockier than Jagger

01 Dec 2011

Now that the weather is heating up and Christmas is drawing near, some noisy, raucous visitors could be heading your way—and not just for Christmas lunch.

You may very soon be hearing Sulphur-crested Cockatoos screeching around your place as they look for a mate and start a family. Give them a Christmas present by being a Backyard Buddy to these clucky cockies.

Backyard Buddies is a free program run by Australia’s Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife. Each month, you get a Backyard Buddies email (B-mail) with tips to make your backyard inviting and safe for native animals. Sulphur-crested Cockatoos featured in December B-mail. Sign up for B-mail and download a free factsheet about Cockatoos at www.backyardbuddies.net.au.

“Almost everyone will have seen a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. They are the familiar large white birds with a lemon yellow crest and an infamous blood curdling call,” said Mr Steve Corbett, CEO of the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife.

“They breed from August to January in southern Australia. To attract a mate, a male Sulphur-crested Cockatoo struts Jagger-style toward the female with his crest held high and his tail feathers spread out wide. He nods and bobs his head from side to side like he is dancing to his own tune, and chuckles. He is a real charmer.”

“Sulphur-crested Cockatoos lay one to three eggs in tree hollows and both parents incubate them for 30 days. The chicks stay in the nest for a two months after hatching, and then remain with their parents and family group indefinitely.”

“So that’s why if you see one cocky around, chances are there’s many more about too,” said Mr Corbett.

“Sulphur-crested Cockatoos feed in big flocks on the ground. They love to munch seeds, roots, berries, leaf buds, nuts, fruits, grains, and insects. They are a brainy bunch. While the flock feeds, a few cockies stay as lookouts in the trees above. If any danger is spotted, the lookouts cry blue murder and the whole flock rises to safety in the air in a deafening cacophony.”

Be a Buddy to Clucky Cockies:

Leave old gum trees with hollows for nest sites, as hollows can take up to one hundred years to develop.
Leave hollow branches and logs on trees for them to nest in.
Leave dead trees where they pose no danger to people, as nest sites.
Provide a nest box for Sulphur-crested Cockatoos if possible.
Resist the temptation to feed wild Cockatoos.
Keep cats and dogs indoors as much as possible, especially at night.
Avoid using chemicals and pesticides on your garden as Cockies can get sick if they eat contaminated seeds or insects.
Retain existing stands of trees cockatoos are using and where possible extend the habitat by planting.
Report any injured birds to a local wildlife rescue and care group.
Never release a pet Cockatoo into the wild.

“If you want to be a buddy to cockatoos, a great thing you can do is plant local native plants, grasses, shrubs and trees that they love in your garden. Two trees they particularly love are Yellow Box Gums and Macadamia Nut. The Macadamia is good for you as well as the cockies, as you get to enjoy the delicious nuts as well.”

“Avoid feeding a cockatoo, as what starts as one cute visitor can quickly become a large group descending on your place. These guys are used to feeding in flocks, so if a good food source is found, the word will get around.”

“Sulphur-crested Cockatoos also are prone to stripping bark, small branches and leaves from trees while not feeding to keep their beaks trimmed and sharp, particularly when they are bored. So if you regularly feed cockies, you might come home one day to find a few waiting for you, and stripping timberwork, windowsills or decking while they wait.”

“Better to avoid the problem altogether by planting a native garden they can feed from harmlessly, and where you can watch their interesting antics without anxiety.”

“If cockies are already stripping the woodwork, you can deter them by attaching strips of aluminium foil, fabric or feathers from a feather duster that will flutter in the wind near where the birds are chewing. This will frighten them away, but be warned that it will also deter other birds too.”

“If you see a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo waiting patiently on a public drinking fountain, don’t be afraid to approach slowly and turn it on. Some smart Cockatoos have worked out this is a great place for a drink. And while they’re at it, you get to check out this gorgeous bird up close and personal, too!”

Share your photos of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, and other native animals, on www.facebook.com/backyardbuddies.

Backyard Buddies: Sulphur-crested Cockatoos - Cockier than Jagger

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