How Much Is A Pink Cockatoo?

Info

The Australian pink cockatoo parrot, or as it is also called the Gala parrot (translated as “looks like a clown”), is a very beautiful bird with a recognizable appearance. Thanks to its aesthetic qualities and relatively small size, many people are happy to have this bird in their homes.

Appearance

Credit: Environment Go!

Population and conservation status

The distribution range of pink cockatoo parrot is the entire Australian mainland, as well as the adjacent islands.

Gala cockatoos are a species that is not of concern in terms of their numbers. On the contrary, this species is considered harmful. Pink cockatoo parrots love to feast on farmland, causing irreparable damage to farmers throughout the green continent. Systematic shooting and treating fields with poison do not affect the numbers of these birds.

Lifestyle, freedom and life expectancy

Pink cockatoo parrot are flocking birds that prefer not to change their place of residence (sedentary way of living). But populations that live in arid areas migrate when there is no food. The number of individuals in one group can range from 20 to 1000. Favorite places of deployment are forests, meadows, savannas, mountains, and fields. Their entire day is spent on the treetops. Flight speed reaches 70 km/h. Favorite pastime: swimming in the rain.

Meals occur in the morning and evening hours, when the sun is not too hot. Meals are spent in small flocks, always posting a “watch guard.” The diet of wild cockatoos includes:

• Seeds, roots, inflorescences, and green herbs.
• Grain (wheat, oats).
• Berries, fruits, and vegetables (passionflower, mango, melon tree, papaya, capers).
• Nuts (pandan, casuarina).
• Small insects and their larvae.

The average lifespan of the pink cockatoo parrot is 50 years. But birds survive to this age only in captivity with proper care. In the wild, life expectancy is much shorter. Among the unfavorable conditions that shorten the life of parrots are weather conditions, lack of nutrition, shooting, disease, and predators.

Reproduction

Gala cockatoos become mature and capable of reproducing offspring at the age of 3 years. They create pairs for life, but if one of the partners dies, the other can eventually create a new family. The mating season for birds in the north of Australia lasts from February to July, and in the south of the country, from August to December.

The breeding season begins with courtship. The male undertakes to charm the lady with the help of a special ritual. The “groom” raises his crest, spreads his wings, and begins to monotonously shake his head to the sides. If the female likes it, the couple moves on to a new stage of the relationship: mating and nesting.

Birds usually nest in rocky crevices or in the hollows of tall trees. One clutch can contain 2 to 5 eggs. The birds hatch their chicks one by one. The chicks hatch within a month. Their parents take care of them for about 1.5 months. Then the strengthened chicks fly out of the parent\’s nest.

Keeping at home

The pink cockatoo parrot, like all cockatoos, is very demanding. To keep such a handsome dog at home, it is not easy to create comfortable conditions for him (housing, toys, food), but also to devote maximum time to communicating and playing with the pet. One of the unpleasant moments that a bird owner may encounter is loud screaming in the mornings and evenings. Sometimes young chicks can bite. But this behavior is more caused by the desire to attract the attention of the owner. It is worth noting that cockatoos (especially males) show aggressiveness during the mating season and also show jealousy towards the owner in the presence of strangers.

Intelligence and character

Gala parrots are often kept at home because they have a calm and friendly disposition and are very playful and curious. Birds can be bred either alone or in pairs. The main thing is to never leave your pet alone; pay more attention to it. To prevent the bird from getting bored, you need to spend at least 2–3 hours a day with it. When a bird is left alone at home, it needs to leave the TV or radio on.

When it comes to speaking abilities, Gala is not the most talkative cockatoo parrot. During long-term study, you can hear at most 15-20 words or short phrases from a bird. But teaching your pink pet to perform funny tricks or sing familiar snippets of melodies will be quick. You can enrich your games with the bird using a variety of sticks, ropes, bags, boxes, twigs, and pieces of paper.

Credit: Medium

Selection and arrangement of the cage

To make Gala the cockatoo feel comfortable, he needs to choose the right cage or enclosure. The basic requirements for a parrot’s home are as follows:

• Space (the bird can spread its wings and not catch the walls).
• Material: solid metal mesh (mesh size: 2×2 cm or 2.5×2.5 cm).
• The bottom is retractable and strewn with moisture-absorbing material (sand, sawdust, or wood filler).
• Padlock (it is advisable to close it with several turns of the key).
• The recommended cage parameters are 0.9×0.9×1.2 m.
• The recommended dimensions of the enclosure are 600x100x200 cm.
• When keeping an aviary, you should equip a sleeping house inside with parameters of 0.4×0.4×0.9 m, where the bird will have the opportunity to rest.
• The presence of branches from trees (the best eucalyptus perches).
• Availability of a container for bathing (or spraying the bird with a spray bottle daily).
• Availability of equipment: feeders, drinkers, poles, toys (rings, bells, ropes, mirrors, balls).
• Placement: a well-lit place away from radiators and drafts.

Birds’ homes are cleaned daily. It is recommended to disinfect the cage every 7–10 days and every 30 days in the enclosure. All equipment (feeders, drinking bowls, ladders, and toys) is replaced as it becomes damaged.

What to feed the Pink Cockatoo

The pink parrot is a gourmet who enjoys a varied diet with exclusively natural ingredients. His diet is low in fat (up to 8%), where the majority is grain (up to 50%). Feeding frequency: twice a day.

The food includes:

• Cereals (pumpkin seeds, acorns, cooked brown rice, wheat, barley, millet, oats, canary seeds, buckwheat).
• Vegetables and greens (corn, pumpkin, peas, carrots, boiled beans, broccoli, cauliflower, red or green peppers, zucchini, eggplant, tomato, cucumber, potatoes, lettuce, celery, mustard greens, chard, spinach, rosemary, basil, thyme, dill, garlic, chives).
• Fruits and berries (grapes, pineapple, cranberries, strawberries, pomegranate, citrus fruits, apple, melon, peach, apricot, pear, banana, plum, mango, date, papaya, kiwi, rose hip, strawberry, raspberry).
• Shoots of bushes and trees, green grass, grain sprouts, microgreens, and eucalyptus leaves.
• Animal food (boiled chicken eggs, cottage cheese, insects, larvae, low-fat yogurt, boiled chicken, soft bones).
• Vitamin and mineral supplements (chalk, lime, eggshells, cuttlefish shell).

Prohibited foods:

• sunflower seeds;
• safflower seeds;
• cabbage;
• coffee;
• avocado;
• chocolate;
• parsley;
• alcohol and all types of food containing alcohol;
• sugar and sweets, salt;
• dairy products;
• fried food and baked goods.

Reproduction in captivity

In captivity, Galas reproduce poorly. To produce offspring, birds must be kept in a large aviary, and they must also be fed very well and correctly. If these conditions are met, you can begin breeding.

First, prepare the birds.

• The couple is isolated in a large, separate enclosure.
• increase the percentage of proteins in the diet (due to animal feed);
• place eucalyptus branches and eucalyptus leaves into the enclosure (stimulate desire in partners);
• equip nest boxes in the parrots’ home.

After successful mating, the female lays eggs. Usually, birds nurse only the first-hatched chick. Therefore, if there are more eggs, they are transferred to the incubator. At 2 months of age, young parrots are removed from their parents.

Credit: Pexels

Tips for choosing a parrot

Before buying a Gala parrot, you should take into account all the nuances that relate to their character and way of life, as well as calculate the financial possibilities for acquisition and maintenance, and remember that the bird will need constant attention. It is worth noting that the price for the Pink Cockatoo is considerable and ranges from 850 to 1000 dollars (depending on the availability of accompanying documents and age). If the choice finally fell on this species, then you should listen to the advice of experienced poultry farmers:

• It is better to buy a feathered pet only from trusted sellers (specialized nurseries).
• The age of the chick should not be less than 1 month or more than 6 months.
• It is better to buy parrots that were hatched in captivity than birds caught in the wild.
• examine the pet before purchasing it (a healthy parrot is curious, playful, and has bright plumage without bald spots).

At all times, people try to have pets at home, which will not only become a decoration for the home but also friends for family members. The pink cockatoo Gala is a friend who not only diversifies a person’s life but also makes it brighter. However, it should be remembered that this bird is demanding in its care and will not tolerate loneliness or a lack of attention from its owner.

Also check: Yellow Crested Cockatoo Parrot

Also Check: What Does A Canary Eat

Follow as: Facebook