Hello my name is Jessie!
Cacatua alba
I am a 27 year old Umbrella Cockatoo. I arrived at The Hamilton Aviary in 2001 when I could no longer be taken care of by my owner. I am actually from the Westdale area, but was much too noisy to live in someone's house. Cockatoo's are popular companion birds thanks to the film and television industry (shows like Baretta made people interested in owning a pet bird) but they are not recommended for first time bird owners.
Did you know that the word cockatoo originates from the Malay work 'kakaktua' which means older sister!
Likes
Shoes, people clapping, eating window frames
Dislikes
Brooms!
Fav Foods
Walnuts, Scrambled eggs & Grapes
What I Can Say
Hello, How are you, Pretty bird, Jessie girl, Goodbye
About Me and Other
Umbrella Cockatoos
Also known as the White Cockatoo, these parrots are native to the tropical forest islands of Indonesia. In captivity, with proper care, cockatoos like me can live about 60 years. In 1993 it was estimated that there were 43,000-183,000 of us in the wild, but that number has not been updated since then.
The Umbrella Cockatoo is most famous for its impressive crest, from which it gets its name. A crest is the group of feathers on this bird's head which they can control and gives us insight into how they feel. Considering other body language a raised crest can indicate excitement or aggression.
I love to bob up and down which the people at The Aviary called me dancing. I would raise my crest when they clapped and moved my head and body up and down to the beat. Sometimes I would throw in some noises of my own like whistling or laughing!​​
Umbrella Cockatoos are classified as Endangered according to the IUCN Red List. They are found in Indonesia, specifically the Northern and Central Moluccas islands. They typically live in open fields or swampy areas, but can also be found in open woodlands and forest. The biggest threat to this cockatoo like many exotic birds is illegal trapping. Habitat loss and hunting are also factors in this species’ decreasing population.
What I'm up to Now
I was moved to Bird Kingdom!
When our sanctuary at Oak Knoll Drive closed its doors, several birds migrated over to Bird Kingdom in Niagara Falls, Ontario. After we have completed our 30 day required quarantine period and have been assessed by the BK team, we will be available to be visited by the public again.
