Umbrella Cockatoo Behavior

The Umbrella Cockatoo gets its name from the umbrella shape of its crest when it is raised. They're medium-sized birds, usually between 17 and 19 inches tall. They weigh approximately 1 ½ lbs. According to the Pet Parrots website, umbrella cockatoos differ in some ways from other parrots and in certain ways, even from each other. The most affectionate and loyal parrot species as a whole, individual umbrellas vary widely in personality. Some are remarkably destructive while others are strikingly obedient.

  1. Play

    • Umbrellas are known for excessive chewing, a form of play that keeps them amused for hours. Owners should provide natural wood branches and varied bird toys. Umbrellas love toys that make noise or play songs. They dump food cups for fun. Because they're extremely intelligent, they love to manipulate and concentrate on puzzle toys. Pet Parrots website says umbrellas "romp, stomp, swing and flap to a great degree in play." They love to sing and dance, easily learn tricks and need to be out of their cages as much as possible.

    Vocalization

    • Umbrella cockatoos' calls are such loud screeches that some can be heard up to three miles away. They're prone to bouts of loud screaming, sometimes for fun but especially in frustration and anger---if isolated, locked in a cage or when they don't get their way. Once taught to talk, they sometimes substitute this for screaming. They don't speak as well as some other parrot varieties but can acquire vocabularies of up to about 50 words. Although not especially known for their mimicking abilities, they can mimic certain sounds quite well.

    Sensitivity And Bonding

    • Umbrella cockatoos have exceptionally loving, devoted personalities, second to none, according to the website Avian Web. They're infamous for being "clingy" with their owners. According to Pretty Birds website, they want nothing more than to cuddle with the objects of their desire. They become overly attached to people, other birds and even inanimate objects. Extremely sentimental, they're never without a companion in the wild. In captivity, this same instinctual patterning bonds them with mates or special friends. Umbrellas are prone to feather plucking and self-mutilation if incredibly lonely or upset.

    Moodiness

    • "Even hand reared cockatoos are not really domesticated, and even the sweetest cockatoo can seriously bite and injure a person without provocation," according to Avian Web. Pretty Birds website says umbrellas are as "fickle as the weather," playing one minute and nipping the next. Umbrellas' moods change rapidly and they easily get their feelings hurt. They sometimes get aggressive about not being cuddled and pampered. Male cockatoos frequently get aggressive with their mates, biting them severely on the face, wings and legs in fatal attacks.

    Expert Insight

    • "The umbrella owner should have experience with parrots before taking on this feathered handful," according to the Pretty Birds site. "This is not a good first bird, nor is (it) a good child's pet. The umbrella also tends to become spoiled very easily and will not adapt well to changes in routine or additions to the family, such as an infant or new puppy." Umbrella cockatoos are a long-term commitment and owners should be well aware of the birds' behaviors and exactly what they're up against.