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Citron-crested CockatooFamily: Cacatuidae
Latest Reader Comment - See More We just bought our citron from my boss. His name is Sinbad. We first met Sinbad while my boss was away on vacation and I was caring for all his birds. He has 27 bird... (more) Lara & Matt 2008-02-15
The Citron-crested Cockatoo really stands out with the orange feathering in its crest and cheeks! It is the most striking of the six subspecies of the Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoos!Sometimes referred to as the "apartment-sized cockatoo", the Citron-crested Cockatoo is a smaller cockatoo (though it is a bit larger than other Lesser Sulpher-crested Cockatoos). It is a pretty bird with graceful movements and a delicate appearance.
This is Initially a rather shy bird, but once it is used to being around people the Citron-crested Cockatoo will love attention and can be very affectionate. It can also be a very playful comedian! When it gets excited it will lift up its crest like an Indian headdress, bob up and down, and even dance. Though they are generally very docile, they can be a bit more animated than the other Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoos. They can learn to speak and are easy to teach all kinds of tricks. They are also one of the easiest cockatoos to breed. Like cockatoos in general, they are a very loving type of bird. Affection is readily accepted and returned in kind. They are a pet that not only appreciates interaction but requires it and needs a lot of attention from their owners. Buy a cockatoo only if you can spend a lot of time with it. To learn more about Cockatoos and their needs visit:
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Distribution:
This bird is native to Sumba, and Indonesian island. They
inhabit open woodlands, the edges of forests, and cultivated wheat fields.
Description:
The Citron-crested Cockatoo has white plummage with an orange
crest on the top of the head and on the cheeks, rather than yellow like
the other Lesser Sulpher-crested Cockatoos. The rest of their coloring
is the same as the others with yellows on the undersides of their wings
and tail, but they are a bit larger. They can learn to talk, as can most
cockatoos and are easy to teach all kinds of tricks. Mature birds are
about 35 cm (14 inches) in length.
A younger bird will be similar to the adults but have pale gray
eyes. The beak will also be lighter for a short period of time, until
about 7 months.
Care and feeding:
A roomy cage is required unless the bird is to be let out
for extended periods. Many birds can spend most of their time on a play
pen or parrot perch. These birds are good fliers and avid chewers. It
is good to provide them with lots of natural branches, chunks of untreated
wood, or even whole coconuts to keep them busy and content.
In the wild they eat seeds, berries, nuts, fruits and probably
vegetable matter. They eat a variety of seeds, nuts, fruits, and commercial
pellets, as well as the same nutritional foods humans eat.
See About Cockatoos:
Housing and About Cockatoos:
Care and Feeding for more information.
Social Behaviors:
In the wild Cockatoos are friendly and peaceful. They live
in pairs or small flocks though sometimes they will gather in very large
flocks to feed.
They enjoy and require a lot of affection and attention.
It is often recommended that they be kept in pairs so they will keep each
other company. This can help to reduce the amount of time you will have
to devote to an individual bird.
Breeding/Reproduction:
See About Cockatoos:
Breeding for Cockatoo breeding information.
Sexual differences:
Hard to tell the sex of young birds. As they get older the
iris of the females' eyes will develop a reddish color, the males' eyes
will be dark brown to black.
Potential Problems:
Cockatoos can be quite loud screechers. This behavior can
be reduced by giving attention and proper surroundings. Also, since they
are prone to chewing, if they are not given enough attention they will
chew their own feathers.
See About Cockatoos:
Potential Problems for information on illnesses.
Availability: These birds, though not as common as the Lesser Sulpher-crested Cockatoo, are occasionally available.
Activities: Loves to climb and play and chew. Provide lots of toys.
Click to see All the comments!
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| Latest Comments |
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| We just bought our citron from my boss. His name is Sinbad. We first met Sinbad while my boss was away on vacation and I was caring for all his birds. He has 27 birds of different kinds. Sinbad immediately flew to me and it took me a while to get him off when it was time to leave. My boyfriend would come to help me sometimes and Sinbad loved him too. He would fly back and forth between us, and it was hard to get anything done! Hey, its not easy sweeping under dozens of cages with a bird hanging off your chest! After my boss came back, Sinbad would sometimes bite him and seemed unhappy. When we would come to visit Sinbad would come right to us, talking and playing! This is very unusual because I have heard they have very strong bonds with their owners. My boss owned him for 12 years, since Sinbad was a baby! After a lot of begging, he agreed to sell us the bird. Whatever the reason he took to us, we feel blessed. Sinbad is such a joy to have around. He has such a personality, and everyday is full of new surprises! He does demand a lot of attention. Luckily, Matt and I usually work seperate shifts, because Sinbad doesnt like being in his cage. He chews anything he can get his beak on, so he has to be caged when no one is home. If you have A LOT of extra time and energy, a cockatoo is a good choice. They are so loving and wonderful companions. But its almost like having a child, very high-maintainence! They have needs that must be met. If you cant make a commitment to your cockatoo, maybe you should look into a different kind of bird.
2008-02-15 |
| We have a 9 year old citron cockatoo that we inherited from a cousin. Toulouse (female) is a very sweet bird. She is one of two birds in this family -- we also have an african grey. Toulouse is quiet except when it is time for the lights to be off for her to go to sleep (thankfully we go to bed about the same time so that isn't a problem). The move between owners I believe was stressful for her -- citrons don't like change because of how they bond with their owners. Thankfully she developed a good bond with my partner. She is out of her cage most of the day since I work from home. She won't come to me -- in fact I think she tolerates me. Still, she is a joy to have and an absolutely beautiful bird. As I mentioned she has bonded with my partner and allows her to hold her, pet her, etc. We have had her now about a month and a half and are hoping that she continues to grow comfortable in her new home. It has been a huge change for her. We also had to change her diet since the previous owner feed her mostly seeds and she came to us overweight.
Citrons are great birds. They need a lot of STRUCTURED attention. If you can do that I would highly recommend this breed over any other cockatoo breed. If not, steer away from cockatoos.
2007-10-29 |
| Pepito, a Tampa photographer, decided to buy one of these Citron birds. He or she was about 6 weeks old. We are currently feeding him via squeezing liquid food down the throat - what a job that has been. We found out he might need to be fed for the next 6 months. I've actually gotten very attached to him now and he sits with me daily as I try getting paperwork done in the studio. On top of my regular paperwork, he creates another huge pile of paperwork by shredding up documents, orders and everything else you can imagine. In addition he thinks my shoulder is now the place to sleep. He tries plucking my eyebrows and climbing up to top of my head by using my reading glasses as his private ladder. Once on top he's gets ahold of my hair (very long hair) and he slides up and down until he's so tangled up I can hardly get him back out of my hair. It takes Pepito pulling him off of me to get him back in line. I actually love this bird, but had no idea what a full time job he actually could be. He isn't a bird - he truly thinks he's a real person and demands real attention. Now I am thinking of taking him on trips with me making sure he's always got company. I've never wanted kids...I think I might have one now. Although Pepito bought him and is the real owner, I feel like I'm his mother. Pepe, yes, that's his name, loves to kiss and there's no hope for me wearing lipstick anymore - it's gone once he gets ahold of me. He kisses endlessly and it's a hopeless case...he's only 10 weeks old - can you imagine the future?!
2007-09-02 |
| I have been given a citron-crested cockatoo by a family member who just couldn't for health reasons keep him any more. I named him big dude. He had pulled just about all his feathers out because he had lost his mate. My aunt passed away and gave him to her son who has now given him to me along with a green parrot. He has just started to fluff again. I can't wait to see how pretty he will be when his feathers come back in. He hasn't had any for`3 years. He does screech and hiss at me but he also loves to be petted. He shakes the door of the cage to get out, I was told to keep it padlocked because he can get out and he has when I change the water and food. Hilarious. He sees the keys and goes nuts. I have only had him for a week and I think he is the funniest thing I have seen in along time. I wish I knew what to do to tame him further. He bows his head to be petted and he lets me rub his whole body, also he raises his wings to allow me to rub beneath them also. He appears to be really intelligent. It took him a whole three days to start imitating my alarm clock by beating his roost with his foot. Funny! Also the green parrot is basically viscious I am more afraid of it than big dude.
2007-08-27 |
| hi, i dont hove a cockatoo but i think they are really cool. even though they bite, scream, pluck feathers, send people to the E.R., and hate everybody but there owners, they probably make a good pet for the right person. the reason im saying this is because people who neglected there cockatoo get horrible bites and the bird becomes miserable. if you want a cockatoo you should visit mytoos.com first for some info on keeping one of these amazing parrots
2007-05-09 |
| Some of the coolest comments: |
| I have been the proud owner of a citron cockatoo named boo boo,he is approx. 2 years old? I was told by this reputable store, that the last owner had kept him in a cage with no toys and locked in the spare room by himself! That the bird was owned by the husband who wanted to keep him, and a wife that wanted absolutely nothing to do with the bird. I'd would have let her go instead! --so lucky for me, boo boo is mine now and I wish I could meet with the people who let him go--really bad decision! Boo now walks out onto my hand from inside the cage and has a great vocabulary! It was such a sad story, because he is so charming. The stores problem, was every time anyone showed interest, boo boo would run amuck in the cage, or, as they put it "he's a psycho bird" Boo boo does not bite, scream or chew. He now has more love and toys now than he could know what to do with. If you have patience--these birds are greeeat!! 2007-02-14 |
| I am owned by a wonderful Citron Cockatoo named Tenny. He is a rescue and has been with me for about 8 years now. I love him more than anything! He is the funniest person I know and there is no other person Id rather spend my time with! But, he is a parrot, and like most parrots, are only about one generation out of the wild. They are still very much "wild" and they behave accordingly. He screams sometimes, and can be really loud. He is one of 12 parrots in the house. He is also very messy and my vacuum never gets put away! Sometimes this is hard to remember when you are looking at your parrot, in your living room, and he is acting crazy! It can be overwhelming! Please, anyone looking to share their life with a bird, do your research first. Know that they chew everything, they are loud and messy, and if you are an adult, they will probably outlive you. They are expensive to keep and to upkeep. And, no matter what anyone tells you, they will and do bite. Hard. Its usually nothing personal, its just the way it is. Its a way they can let us know they are upset or angry. Just yesterday, Tenny bit a hole through my lower lip. Yes, all the way through...I am an experienced parrot owner and have been doing this for a long time, and as Ive mentioned, I have 12. This is the kind of thing that can make a person give up their bird. This isn't the first time Ive been bitten. I needed stitches in my lip. All of my birds are rescues. Please think twice before getting a bird. 2007-01-08 |
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