Umbrella Cockatoo

Cacatua alba Indonesia

Also known as white cockatoo.

Umbrellas are large white cockatoos with recumbent crests. The crest feathers conform to shape of the head, lying down unless the crest is raised. The only color is yellow on the insides of the wings. The crest feathers are white and long and spread out like an umbrella when the crest is erect.

Umbrella cockatoos are found on the islands of Halmahera, Bacan, Ternate, Kasiruta, Tidore, Mandioli and Obi islands in the northern Maluku province of Indonesia. They inhabit lowland forests, especially mature canopy forests along rivers. They also frequent cleared lands. They are most active in early morning and late afternoon. Wild cockatoos feed on nuts, seeds, berries and insects.

Length is 17 to 19 inches. Weight is 500 to 700 grams. Males are generally larger than females and have larger heads and beaks.

Umbrellas and other cockatoo species can be very long lived and a few individuals in zoos have lived up to 50-60 years. Precise data on life span of the average Umbrella cockatoo is poorly documented, however most Umbrellas do not live as long as possible. Birds often succumb to disease or injury rather than living their potential lifespan.

Breeding age can be as young as 3 years, however hand-reared birds may not begin breeding before they are 6 to 8 years old. Breeding life span is not precisely known but is possibly up to 30+ years.

Personality - Umbrella cockatoos are affectionate and highly intelligent birds. They are excellent companion birds for those who want a charming, loving bird that likes to cuddle. Umbrellas tend to be very demanding of attention and if they are deprived of attention can become very noisy and destructive or turn to plucking or self-mutilation behavior. Imprinted cockatoos may become possessive of their owners. This possessive behavior can lead to unpredictable or aggressive behavior towards other people especially as the bird reaches sexual maturity. Mature birds may scream more intensely and loudly (calling for a mate) and screaming is often intensified during the breeding season.

While Umbrellas will occasionally speak, they are not known for their ability to mimic. They are however very vocal and many birds loose their home due to loud screaming. This behavior is often learned when young birds hear the morning or afternoon screaming of another cockatoo.

Activities – Umbrella cockatoos are playful and inquisitive and they love to chew objects in their surroundings. They should always be provided with toys, blocks of wood or branches that they can chew. In order to ensure safety companion cockatoos should not be allowed unsupervised freedom in the home as they often encounter toxins or dangerous items. Young cockatoos should be socialized to many people and exposed to a variety of situations such as new cages, toys, visits to the veterinarian, handling by friends, wing and nail clips, etc. to avoid fear of novel situations.

Dietary needs - Cockatoos should be fed a formulated (pelleted or extruded diet) as a basis for good nutrition. Kaytee Exact is a good choice for the staple diet. The diet should be supplemented with fresh fruits and vegetables daily to add variety and psychological enrichment. Feed approximately ¼ to 1/3 cup of Kaytee Exact and 1/4 cup of fresh fruits and vegetables daily. If the bird consumes all of it’s food give additional food as desired. Overfeeding leads to pickiness, wastage and throwing food. Treats such as seeds, nuts and table foods maybe given in small amounts especially as rewards for good behavior.

Special requirements - Umbrella cockatoos are very efficient in utilization of calories. If overfed they may become obese especially when handrearing. Juvenile cockatoos are notoriously picky eaters and don’t seem to need much food to maintain themselves. Try to ensure that the food that they do eat is nutritious. Vitamin supplements are not needed for birds that are eating a formulated diet.

Grooming - Routine bathing or showering is vital to maintaining good plumage and skin condition. Birds can be misted and allowed to dry in a warm room or in the sun, or gently dried with a blow drier. Care should be taken not to clip the wing feathers excessively as cockatoos often fall and injure themselves. Clip only the primary flight feathers and only enough so the bird will glide to the floor.

Identification - All companion and breeding birds should be individually identified to assist in recovery if lost and assist in maintenance of medical and genealogical records. Many breeders apply closed legs bands when chicks are young. While they present a slight risk of entrapment closed bands are preferable to no identification, especially for breeding birds.
Microchips, which can be implanted into the muscle or under the skin, are a reliable means of identification but require electronic readers to verify identification. Tattoos may be used but often fade or become illegible with time. Foot prints may have some application in identification.

Sexing Most of the white cockatoos species can be sexed by eye color when mature, The eyes of a mature female Umbrella are red while the eyes of the male are dark brown or black. Juveniles of both sexes will have brown eyes. The sex of breeders should be confirmed by endoscopy (surgical sexing) of DNA sexing.

Housing - Umbrella cockatoos are very active and should be provided the largest cage that space and budget allows. Durable cage construction is very important because Umbrellas are very strong chewers and can easily break welds on poorly constructed cages. Many are also adept at opening cage latches. Locks or escape proof latches may be necessary on cages.
The cage should be as large as possible but must allow at least enough room to fully spread the wings. Ideally the bird will have an outdoor cage as well to allow play time in the fresh-air and sunlight.

Breeding – Umbrella cockatoos breed well in captivity and are bred commonly in the United States. In North America Umbrella cockatoos breed predominantly in the winter and spring. Some pairs may produce year round. Clutch size is typically 2 to 3 eggs. The breeding cage should be large enough to allow some limited flight between perches. One inch by one inch 12 guage welded wire is a good choice for cage construction. A suggested size is 4 feet wide by 4 feet tall by 8 feet long suspended 4 feet above the ground or floor.

Nest Box - Double entrance boxes are often used to reduce the chance of the male trapping the female in the box. Large grand-father style wooden boxes can be used. Size should be approximately 18” x 18” x 24”. Metal barrels, plastic pickle barrels and garbage cans can be used, however the act of chewing a wooden nest box may stimulate reproductive behavior.

Incubation period is approximately 24-26 days. Chicks will usually fledge at approximately 12 to 14 weeks of age. Umbrella cockatoos are relatively easy to hand-rear. Most handrearing formulas can be used successfully, however if you are using a formula which is relatively high in fat, care must be taken not to overfeed the chick. Kaytee Exact regular handrearing formula is a good choice..

Aggression
Male cockatoos frequently become aggressive toward their mates. Fatal attacks may occur in which the male bird severely bites the face, wings, and legs of the female. Cage construction and management must take into consideration techniques to reduce mate aggression. Clipping the wings of the male prior to the breeding season will help the female to escape in case the male becomes aggressive. Aggressive behavior may occur in compatible breeding pairs.

When breeding cockatoos, noise and proximity to neighbors must be considered. If housed outdoors cockatoos often call at night especially during a full moon. In southern states outdoor caging must be protected from opossums to prevent exposure to the parasite Sarcocystis falcatula which can result in a fatal lung infection.

Common diseases and disorders

• Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (Now rare in captive cockatoos)
• Proventricular dilation disease
• Feather-picking
• Self mutilation
• Juvenile chewing of flight feathers and tail
• Poor eating habits - picky eaters
• Obesity, Fatty Liver Disease (baby birds which are overfed)
• Bacterial and fungal infections
• Sarcocystis
• Cloacal prolapse
• Mate aggression
• Toxicity, ingestion of metals
• Chlamydiophila (Chlamydia) infection (parrot fever)

Conservation Status - Umbrella cockatoos are listed on Appendix II on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. Their wild population has declined due to habitat destruction and trade but they are not considered endangered.