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Cockatoo

Birds

The feathered drama major that loves you loudly and forever!

Mike has looked after a neighbor’s cockatoo on and off for years.

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Did you know? Cockatoos are considered the most affection-dependent parrots in aviculture. In the wild they maintain near-constant physical contact with their flock and mate, and a captive cockatoo often expects the same level of contact from its owner - which is exactly why the species has one of the highest rates of severe feather-plucking and behavioral problems of any commonly kept parrot when that need isn't met.

The first week

The numbers a new owner needs in the first week, each from the article it links to. Rows with no link come from the encyclopedia.

Day one: At least 30 days, and up to 45, quarantined in a separate room with its own airspace, away from any bird you already own. A multi-bird household or aviary is safer nearer 90 days.Quarantine guide →
Enclosure: 36 inches wide by 24 inches deep by 48 inches tall is a commonly cited minimum, with many avian vets recommending closer to 48 by 48 by 60 inches as a genuinely comfortable size. Bigger is always better with this species.Setup guide →
Bar spacing: Three-quarters of an inch to 1 inch for large cockatoos. Secure, genuinely escape-proof locks matter more here than with most birds, cockatoos are notorious escape artists with the intelligence and strength to work out standard latches.Setup guide →
Cage material: Stainless steel is the gold standard, rust-proof and able to withstand a beak this powerful for decades. Heavy-gauge powder-coated steel is an acceptable, more affordable alternative. Avoid galvanized or zinc-coated cages entirely, a bird that chews the bars risks metal toxicity from that coating.Setup guide →
Sleep: 10 to 12 hours of genuine darkness and quiet for sleep every night. Sleep deprivation in this species measurably worsens screaming and other behavioral issues.Setup guide →
Diet: Pellets should make up 75 to 80% of daily intake, fresh vegetables most of the remaining 20 to 25%, fruit a smaller share, and seeds under about 10%, kept to high-fat treats rather than the foundation.Feeding guide →
Bonding: Avoid over-bonding in the first weeks, it cements an anxious dependency rather than a healthy one. Real engagement with this species means 4 to 6 hours of interaction most days, not an occasional check-in, but consistent shoulder and lap time can itself become the problem if a cockatoo forms a pair bond with one person.Handling guide →
Budget: $700 to $3,000 for common species (rarer species run higher). The equipment and first supplies come to $1,430 to $3,200, every item priced from the cage to the first bag of pellets, so $2,270 to $6,410 sets you up with the bird and a first exam, and $875 to $1,995 a year after that. Toy replacement is the biggest recurring line, since cockatoos destroy wooden toys fast.Cost guide →
Adult size: 12 to 27 inches (31 to 70 cm) and roughly 300 to 900 g (10 to 30 oz) across the species, Goffin's and galahs at the light end, Moluccans at the heavy end.
Lifespan: 25 to 45 years is typical, and the larger species can reach 70 to 80 or more.Cost guide →
Disease risk: Psittacine beak and feather disease is incurable, often fatal, and highly contagious. Confirm with a vet through PCR testing, and quarantine any new bird before it meets an established one.Health guide →
Power outage: Keep feeding and watering through an outage rather than pulling food the way you would for a reptile; a bird carries far less fat reserve than its size suggests. The real danger is combustion, not cold: no candles, gas heat, or a generator run anywhere near the bird's room.Emergency plan →

Emergency card

Call the vet now if you see any of these.

Over-preening to bare skin, or in serious cases, self-mutilation
Abnormal or clubbed feathers, or a beak that looks glossy from lost powder-down
Beak deformity
A sudden change in a previously stable bird's vocal or behavioral pattern
An enlarged liver, or changes in beak or nail keratin

An avian vet, found before you need one. Always start with a vet visit to rule out a medical cause before assuming plucking or screaming is purely behavioral, and confirm PBFD with a vet through PCR testing.

From Common Cockatoo Health Issues and What Causes Them →

Where to go next

How Much Does a Cockatoo Really Cost?

$700 to $3,000 for the bird, $2,270 to $6,410 fully set up with it, $875 to $1,995 a year, and the lifespan number that should drive the whole decision.

How to Handle a Cockatoo (And Why They're So Often Surrendered)

Why cockatoos get surrendered so often, the over-bonding trap, and the 4 to 6 hour daily reality.

Common Cockatoo Health Issues and What Causes Them

Feather-destructive behavior, PBFD, lipomas, fatty liver disease, and when a behavior change means the vet.

Cockatoo Cage Setup: Size, Material, and Daily Enrichment That Actually Matters

The 36x24x48 minimum, stainless steel versus powder-coated, bar spacing, and sleep.

Why Cockatoos Scream and Pluck: The Behavior Behind the Headlines

The research behind why cockatoos scream and pluck, and what actually helps versus what doesn't.

Cockatoo Feeding: Schedule, Diet, and the Ratio Worth Memorizing

The 75 to 80% pellet ratio, the toxic food list, and the mistakes that lead to fatty liver disease.

Cockatoo Enrichment: What the Research Actually Supports

What the research actually supports, foraging to fill the gap a bowl leaves, and destruction done deliberately.

Is It Legal to Own a Cockatoo? State-by-State Guide

State by state, including the states that treat an endangered species as off-limits regardless of a permit.

What to buy

Large stainless steel cage, or a heavy-gauge powder-coated alternative

Padlocks or spring clips for every door and feeder hatch

A play gym

Perches 3/4 to 2 inches across, varied diameter and material

Stainless bolt-on dishes and swing-out feeders

Destructible foraging toys (wood, cardboard, palm fiber)

Palm for shredding, a first supply

An air purifier

Digital kitchen scale reading in 1 g steps, with a perch or box on top

Large travel carrier

Styptic powder made for birds

Formulated large-parrot pellets

Underlined items are paid Amazon links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Prices and the reasoning behind each item are in How Much Does a Cockatoo Really Cost?.

Full Cockatoo gear list

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a cockatoo cost to buy?

$700 to $3,000 for common species like Goffin's, Galah, and Umbrella cockatoos, with Umbrella cockatoos commonly running $1,000 to $3,000. Moluccan cockatoos typically run $1,400 to $3,500, and rarer species like the palm cockatoo can reach $2,000 to $16,000 or more.

What size cage does a cockatoo need?

36 by 24 by 48 inches is the commonly cited minimum, and many avian vets recommend closer to 48 by 48 by 60 as a comfortable size. Bigger is always better with this species.

Why are cockatoos so often surrendered?

The demands outrun what most owners signed up for. One parrot behavior consultant reports that cockatoos are among the most consistently relinquished parrots, and that over half her clients own one. Rescue organizations describe the same pattern.

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Cockatoo

Cacatua alba

Animal facts & overview