Australian Birdkeeper – June-July 2018

THE SULPHUR-CRESTED COCKATOO is
an iconic Australian species that attracts
various comments from onlookers.
For some, they are considered nothing
but a raucous and destructive pest.
However, for the majority of us, they are
a pleasurable sight and appreciated as an
integral member of Australian wildlife—
the land of parrots!
These long-lived birds have a strong
presence on the east coast and in northern
Australia, where they live in fl ocks, often
in close proximity to man. They are
larrikins, and fl y about the city calling
to one another while performing aerial
acrobatics. Sadly, in some localities
they are responsible for raiding crops
and orchards and, as such, are culled.
However, they have adjusted well to
encroachment on their habitat since the
arrival of Europeans.
Sulphur-crested Cockatoos ranked
number 11 in the 2017 Bird of the Year
competition run by The Guardian. For a
species that some call ‘just a big white bird
with a little yellow’, they did well to beat
the King Parrot and other more colourful
species such as the Crimson Rosella.
Within Australian aviculture this
species has long been underrated, with
more focus put on exotic species of

cockatoos. However, the Sulphur-crested

is our biggest white cockatoo species

and is highly intelligent and deserves

more attention. Fortunately, the days of

a cocky in a small cage are over and we

have dedicated aviculturists working with

this species and giving them the care and

attention they deserve.

In this article, we explore how two

Australian aviculturists from either side of

the country keep and breed this hardy and

glorious species.

Stephan Maric, of Ambessa Aviaries,

lives in Melbourne and has been keeping

and breeding white cockatoos for some

30 years. Hayden Dix, of Argyle Aviaries,

in the south-west of Western Australia,

has been keeping and breeding white

cockatoos for 15 years.

SUBSPECIES

There are three subspecies of Sulphur-

cresteds found in Australia. They

are Cacatua galerita galerita, C. g.

queenslandica and C. g. fi tzroyi. Stephan

keeps and breeds C. g. galerita and

C. g. fi tzroyi. Hayden keeps only the

nominate form C. g. galerita, but hopes

to add C. g. fi tzroyi at a later date. The

nominate form is the most widespread,

both in the wild and in captivity.

HOUSING

Both Stephan and Hayden house their birds

as single pairs in conventional aviaries.

This allows the birds to come to ground

and forage, just as they would in the wild.

Stephan’s aviaries vary in length, with a

minimum of 4m. They are 1.2–2m wide x

2m high and he uses 2.5cm (1-inch) wire.

Most of the aviary is open and facing

north, with the rear covered in Colorbond®,

as is the roof leading to the back of the

aviary. Stephan utilises a sprinkler system

for his aviaries, which cools them and

allows the cockatoos to bathe.

Stephan doesn’t fi nd the need for full

partitions between the aviaries because

these cockatoos are social birds and

enjoy being able to see one another. He

uses a skirt around the aviaries to prevent

vermin getting in. This aviary design works

particularly well in Stephan’s part of the

country, where he can get four seasons in

one day and temperatures can go quickly

from extreme cold to extreme heat.

Hayden’s aviaries measure 6m long x

2m wide x 2.4m high. He has covered 2.5m

of the rear of the roof with Zincalume®

sheeting which he fi nds refl ects the

heat well. On the sides of the fl ights, the

rear half is a combination of 2.5cm (1-

inch) weldmesh that starts at the fl oor

AUTHOR JADE WELCH

Typical wild nest of

the Sulphur-crested

Cockatoo

Sulphur-crested Cockatoos

J WELCH

‘ The Sulphur-

crested Cockatoo is

an iconic Australian

species... ’