Cockatoo - Lesser Sulfur Crested

Other Breeds

Keeshond   |   Palomino   |   Pig – Pot Bellied   |  

Alternative Name

Lesser Sulfur Crested Cockatoo Scientific Name: Cacatua sulphurea sulphurea

Basic Info

The hallmark of the Lesser Sulfur Crested Cockatoo is his striking yellow crest. Their erect crest stands proudly atop his head. The crest of this cockatoo is one of the largest and most impressive among all members. When relaxed the crest lies facing back on his head, but when excited or stimulated it rises straight up standing several inches in height. The bright yellow feathers are accented by several white feathers beginning the crest at the front. Aside from the brilliant yellow crest the rest of the Lesser Sulfur Crested Cockatoo's plumage is white. In addition they have soft yellow cheek patches and yellow can be seen on the underside of the tail and wings. They are smaller than some of the other Cockatoo species measuring in at thirteen inches (33 cm) with a wing length of eight to nine and a half inches (21 - 245cm). They black bills and dark brown iris. Males and females look identical except the female typically has a smaller bill and a lighter colored iris, which is brown or reddish in color. The immatures have dark iris in for males and females with lighter feet than the normal adult gray.

Health

Breeding Breeding of the Lesser Sulfur Cockatoo is achieved quite often. The female will lay two to three eggs and they will incubate for approximately 24 days. The hatchlings will fledge in eight to ten weeks. It needs to be noted that males can be very aggressive during breeding. Babies should be removed at the proper time as the males may attack them. Males have often been known to kill females if they are kept in a smaller aviary. To prevent this problem you must use a very large aviary. Up to two clutches a year are possible.

Habitat

N/A

Behavior

The Lesser Sulfur Crested Cockatoo is highly trainable and quite beautiful. It is no surprise this wonderful parrot is popular throughout the world. The Lesser Sulfur Crested Cockatoo are readily trained to learn tricks. They also have exhibited strong mimicking ability, with many owners reporting speech from their Lesser Sulfur Crested Cockatoo. Like all parrots there are not guarantees your Lesser Sulfur Crested Cockatoo will talk. It has also been reported that the speech of the Lesser Sulfur Cockatoo is not as good as that of the African Grey varieties. The Lesser Sulfur Crested Cockatoo has a strident call and can become quite noisy. If you live in an apartment, you should take this into consideration before making him your pet. Some owners have reported being able to train their Lesser Sulfur Crested Cockatoos to be quieter, but I do not think this is a realistic expectation. Parrots are generally loud, and if you want a quiet pet you should look elsewhere. The Lesser Sulfur Cockatoo has a great love of chewing, he should be provided with a large number of toys, as he is inclined to boredom. This bird will feather pluck if bored. Chewing can also result in escape from his cage if an inappropriate cage is purchased. If you have your heart set on inviting a Lesser Sulfur Crested Cockatoo you should be aware that they carry a large price tag of anywhere between $1600 - $2000. If their loudness and price tag does not scare you away, the Lesser Sulfur Cockatoo could be the pet for you.

Origin

Sulawesi

History

The Lesser Sulfur Crested Cockatoo has a fairly wide natural range beginning in Australia and also seen in Singapore, and possibly Indonesia.

Common Foods

N/A