Parrots Follow Flock Food Trends
Study finds that wild cockatoos learn new food behaviors through social observation, much like humans follow social trends.
Lafeber’s Global Parrot Conservation Spotlight March 2026: Indonesia’s Moluccan Cockatoos
Indonesia’s Moluccan cockatoo faces threats from habitat loss and cultural practices but a pioneering feather-sharing initiative is helping protect both these iconic birds and the communities that cherish them.
How to reduce separation anxiety in our clinic Cockatoo?
Hello. I am a veterinary technician at a 3 doctor small animal Veterinary practice. One of our vets sees avian patients. We have acquired a 29 yr old cintron cockatoo named Lacey after her owners passed away. She began living here ~ 4 yrs ago. She has historically been a feather plucker and has gone […]
Sticky bird poop rose breasted cockatoo
I have owned this bird for over 33 years. I noticed after 3 weeks, after starting using your product my bird has built up poo sticking to her bottom. It looks normal, just builds up. I removed it and her skin is bare around her anus. Can something in these cause stickiness when passed? I […]
Lafeber’s Global Parrot Conservation Spotlight October 2025: Indonesia’s Abbotti Sulphur-Crested Cockatoos
On Indonesia’s Masakambing Island, the Abbotti cockatoo, a subspecies of the sulphur-crested (Cacatua sulphurea abbotti), is slowly rebounding through community-led conservation and protection efforts.
Managing Right Side Heart Failure
My Moluccan Cockatoo has right side heart failure. She’s weighed and gets 5 meds twice a day and I also palpitate her abdomen to get an idea if fluid is accumulating. She eats very well and once she reaches 800 grams her abdomen becomes firm I am unable to palpitate it as well. When her […]
Why Do Cockatoos Dance? Science Digs In
A recent study reveals that cockatoos don’t just follow the beat, they invent their own dance moves, opening up fascinating new questions about the pure joy of movement.
From Darkness To Daylight: Boo The Cockatoo Sees Again
Blinded for years, Boo the 40-year-old cockatoo regained his sight through surgery and is now flying and thriving as a therapy bird.
Study: Wild Cockatoos Master Public Water Fountains
Sulphur-crested cockatoos in Sydney have learned to operate public drinking fountains, showcasing remarkable intelligence, adaptability, and social cooperation.
New Study: Cockatoos Prefer This Flavor Enhancement
A new study reveals that Goffin’s cockatoos like to dip their food, and this healthy snack found in the refrigerated grocery aisle wins hands down.
Goffin cockatoo
I have had my lovely Goffin for 41 years, I have no idea how old he was when I saved him from a pet shop but they said he was young. I am now 80 and thinking I must make provision for him in my Will. He flies free most days for a couple of […]
Inside Dr. Pepperberg’s Lab: Lateralization In Parrots
In this latest blog, Dr. Irene Pepperberg explores how handedness (lateralization) in parrots, specifically Goffin cockatoos, affects their problem-solving abilities and cognitive behavior.
umbrella cockatoo Egg laying
Hi I have a 29 year old umbrella cockatoo. At what age will she stop laying eggs?
cockatoo eating problem
my bird cockatoo is only 5 month old when he 4 month he eat seeds but after i send him to my cousin house for 4 weeks he told my he eat properly there house but when he come back to me know he just take hand feed only and with seeds he only play […]
Wood to chew on
Is it safe to give Mulberry tree wood for my cockatoo and McCaw to Chew.
My cockatoo refuses to eat anything other than his cereal he’s about 11 months .
Hello. My Cockatoo is always wanting cereal even if he’s hungry he still does not like seeds and veg or fruits I give get thrown down. he’s friendly and lovely not stressed like normal behavior
Female cockatiel attacking her mate
There are two cockatiels I purchased as a “proven pair”they mate and snuggle and preen each other, but whenever it comes to a nest box, the female is very aggressive and keeps the male away. The previous owner said they have never tried to breed them before. The female gets so bad that just him […]
Overly “friendly” male Cockatoo
I have a 15 year old Make Umbrella Cockatoo who is obsessed with meeting new people. Anytime a new person comes around he will run to them to the point that I had to lock the cat door in my office because he would fly out of it to meet someone outside! It doesn’t appear […]
Lafeber’s May 2024 Global Parrot Conservation Spotlight: New Parrot DNA Database To Track Illegal Trading
This Lafeber Global Parrot Conservation Spotlight highlights the work of Dr. George Olah of the Australian National University who is pioneering a new DNA database to combat the illegal parrot trade.
black cockatoo
I have a pair of black cockatoos and have had them for over 20 years just wondering why the hen won’t sit on her eggs
Pink galah
When is it to old for them to breed? Someone is selling a 14 year old breeding pair and I want them but want to make sure they are still good to breed.
umbrella cockatoo 5+ year old bird laying eggs
Umbrella cockatoo 5+ year old bird started laying one egg every month from last June and this month I took some precautions and I didn’t find her making different body signs but today I started seeing her suffering to lay egg making different body signs help me to stop her laying eggs
Neck collar for my injured moluccan cockatoo
Hi, I’m trying to help my Molccan Cockatoo recover his neck. I’m wondering where I can get a neck collar made with FRP material, as Moluccan Cockatoo is a large bird, I need a collar that doesn’t break with his beak. Do you have any recommendations? Thank you!
Can either diet be fed as my Gallah will only eat the Parrot daily pellet diet?
Is there a difference between the Parrot or Macaw/Cockatoo daily pellet diets or is it just the size of pellet?
Ellie The Cockatoo Reads And Writes
Can parrots learn to read and write? Ask Jennifer Cunha, and that answer is a “Yes.” Her 11-year-old Goffin’s cockatoo Ellie continues to astonish by demonstrating literacy equal to a young child. Ellie uses a touchpad and her beak as a “pencil” to communicate by drawing letters. Learn how Cuhna, a property lawyer by trade, became passionate about understanding parrot cognition, how it helped her bond with Ellie, and how it inspired her to launch her “Parrot Kindergarten” online course to help pet bird stewards strengthen their bond with their birds.
Rose breasted cockatoo -Diet
Hi, My Rosie (6 month) eats all of your products when I closely look at those forging veggies balls it looks it has seeds in it? She pick and choose from those forging balls. If I give her only ur veggie balls will that cover her diet. Long run will it cause any health issue […]
Documentary Sounds Alarm To Save Australia’s Disappearing Black Cockatoo
In just 20 years, Western Australia’s majestic black cockatoos could disappear completely. From 10,000 left, populations plummet as habitat loss and persecution from farmers decimate their numbers. One filmmaker’s quest to save the critically endangered species offers a lifeline. Learn more about the film and its important message.
Cockatoo laying
I have a 26 year old umbrella cockatoo that laid her first egg today. When she was little we had her sex’d to see and the vet told us she was a hermorfidite (both sex’s). Would her egg even be fertile??? And why would she lay an egg now after all these years???
Breeding
Hi Brenda, I forgot to mention they are Galahs. They won’t eat fruit and vegetables they just throw them on the ground. However I did buy some liquid nutrients n minerals to put in their water. The bonding galahs are 5 years old this year and this is the first time they have made a […]
6 surgeries done after crop burn
I would like to bring this to your attention, my Moluccan cockatoo had a crop burn which led to a hole, it was stitched immediately by a veterinarian but it has lasts for not longer than 5-10 days. Hence, he has had 6 crop surgeries ever since from the best veterinarians without our area. We […]
Galah Cockatoo
I have 6 month old Galah. what kind of food should i give her? Thanks,
Getting to know my Goffin
How do I know if my Goffin is a girl or a boy And also the age of my Goffin
23 year old cockatoo
J have a ai think.Male umbrella cockatoo that’s going to tge bottom.of tge cage abg covering up in.New papers he ate apple and ate last night It is Saturday. I m worried he take omega oil for his liver ordered by the vet . I am going to take him o have his nails .just […]
Webinar: Translating Parrot: Cockatoos – Unraveling The Mysteries
Join us on August 4 for an exciting new Lafeber webinar series, “Translating Parrot,” which focusses on Parrot Behavior & Wellness with Pamela Clark, a well-known author, speaker, IAABC Certified Parrot Behavior Consultant & retired CVT. In this episode, Pamela will tackle why cockatoos can be such challenging companions as well as address cockatoo myths vs. facts.
cockatoo behavior
I have a S Cr Cockatoo female, 24 yrs. old who constantly preens her feathers and eats the little bits that she pulls off. Is this O K and does it indicate any type of issue ?
Older Cockatoo on nest
My 42 year old Cockatoo has laid an egg..I left it for her for 3 weeks before I changed it out for a dummy egg.( Due to the egg had a small crack and was covered in poop, it is not fertile) When she is not sitting on the dummy egg she comes to us […]
Introducing a Cockatoo and Yellow Nape Amazon
Hello, my friend has a Cockatoo and her Parakeet passed away and since her Cockatoo seems to be depressed he isn’t himself and not interacting with her as much. She asked if I would do a play date with my Yellow Nape. I wouldn’t let them get too close and may even just hold mine […]
Digging in Cockatoos
Hi! I have an Umbrella Cockatoo and I noticed she tries to dig in the corners of our couch or against someone’s leg. I originally thought this might be burrowing or hormonal but I have also seen information on the internet that it could be digging and not hormonal. We only pet her on her […]
My red tail black cockatoo can’t fly
Hello i have an subadult female red tail black cockatoo that can’t fly at all as long as I tried and she only eats seeds or peanuts but she will not eat fruits at all which lead to poor body condition as per our vets I’ve tried giving her food in a lot of different […]
Cleo, Goffin Cockatoo
We’ve had Cleo as part of our lives for roughly 25 yrs. She acts like she needs a mate and has pulled some feathers on herself. Cleo sees us as part of her flock and always wants a taste of what we eat. She is very loving with my husband and I, but is selective […]
possible egg activity
I have a 23 yr. old female s. cr. cockatoo . Seems healthy, eats a diet of fresh greens, lentils, apple, swt. potato, squqsh. She frequently squats on her perch and shudders and emits a somewhat high pitch vocal grunt. Occasionally I witnessed a leaking of drops but she typically has no problem going to […]
Why is my baby cockatoo not eating
My cockatoo is 5 months, he used to be happy getting parrot formula and he doesn’t know how to eat solids yet, usually when I feed him he takes his milk happily and shakes his head up and down to swallow it like all baby’s do, recently he’s stopped doing that, doesn’t seem to want […]
Triton caktoo
Hi i have one pair triton caktoo previously 4 years male and female confirm he gives me 2 babys but last year 2022 and this season female laying eggs outside the next box i stress very much 2 clutch is weast plzzzzzzzzzzzz help me i from pakistan
U2 Prolapse – Dr. Tully Webinar Feb 24
What can be done for a male Umbrella Cockatoo with cloacal prolapse? This rescue, who has had 3 unsuccessful procedures to correct this, but the last one almost killed him-needed to be rushed back to undo the stitches, lwhen he coud not defecate.
FDB Cockatoo – Dr. Tully Webinar Feb 24
“My sulphur crested cockatoo has FDB. He doesn’t pull feathers out. He does do a bit of barbering. But it almost looks like his skin is itchy. He chews his skin. And might stomp his foot. Avian vet did skin scraping, skin biopsy, bloodwork, X-ray, ultrasound. We did antibiotics & anti fungal prophylactically. Changed diet. […]
Cockatoo prolapse – Dr. Lamb Webinar 3/17
I have a female U2 that intentionally prolapses. Deslorelin implants do not seem to work. Do you have any other suggestions? I have talked with her veterinarian about asymmetrical cloacoplasty.
Stop eating
My citronella cockatoo has stopped eating last couple of days, will she do this before she lays an egg, she’s on her own so it won’t be fertile
My cockatoo is just sitting on the bottom of his cage
I have a 8 year old male umbrella cockatoo and he just started sitting on the bottom of his cage. He is eating and drinking. Could he be nesting? And what can I do for him
I have introduced my 12 year old female sulfur crested to a male they seem to get along but he tries to grab her feet and hold on what does this mean
I have introduced my 12year old cockatoo to a male he keeps trying to hold onto her feet what does this mean
Aggressive male umbrella cockatoo
I have had my UB2 for about 6 months. He came from an individual who had him for about 6 months also. My question is can certain triggers be done which would cause hormonal behavior in January? I just read on this site how the petting, hiding under things are signs of hormonal changes. He […]
Cataracts
37 is y.o. mollucan cockatoo hen who is developing cataracts in both eyes. Still small but large enough to see.
Pellet size
What size pellet should I use for a Gallah cockatoo?
Female cockatiel
Hello, i have 2 female cockatiel and one male and all are in one cage. Only one cockatiel lay eggs but after 20 days she stop sitting on the eggs. The male one also not sit on the eggs from day one. Why she stops sitting on the eggs after 20 days ?
Moluccan behavior
“What do you think makes the Moluccan Cockatoos so much more sensitive and inter-dependent? Could there be a geographical reason? Perhaps something to do with the specifics of the island of Seram ?”
Bottled water
Should we be giving our birds bottle water instead of tap?
Toe loss
A friend adopted a goffin cockatoo in November we know nothing about it’s past. We believe he is around 34yrs old and wild caught (open band). He came with only one toe and Wednesday night when saying goodnight that last toe fell off. There was no blood or obvious signs of pain. What would cause […]
How to breed my cockatoos
I have a male cockatoo that was a breeder bird and a female cockatoo that was not how do I get them to breed
Milk thistle – Liver disease webinar Dr. Lamb
I live with several parrots (not their first home). Three of them have liver issues (blood tests) – cockatoo was put on milk thistle, Amazon was diagnosed & then taken off milk thistle, and the third, a CAG female chronic egg layer is on heart medications for an enlarged heart & even though liver was […]
My Cocatoo
Is it possible that a lone female will Nest even without male contact
Female GoffenCockatoo18yrsold
Angel is excepting aggressive behavior,can an outdoor light source be the cause?
