Little (Short-billed) Corella

FAMILY: Cacatuidae
GENUS: Cacatua
SPECIES: pastinator

Description:

Medium sized white cockatoo with short tail and conspicuous grey/blue periopthalmic eye ring. Beak white, with pale red colouration around the beak. Females strongly resemble males, although often there is a distinguishable difference in size (especially the head). However, surgical or DNA sexing is usually required to be absolutely certain.
Immature birds resemble adults and are also virtually impossible to sex.
This species is nomadic and strongly gregarious.
Length: 420mm.

Subspecies:

The western Long-billed Corella (C. p. pastinator) has long been believed to be related to the eastern Slender-billed Corella. However it is currently considered to be a sub-species of the Little Corella.

Distribution:

Abundant and widespread in the far north and arid interior of mainland Australia. In recent decades it has established isolated but rapidly expanding populations in the Hunter Valley, the Sydney region, the Blue Mountains and elsewhere on the east coast. A western population (subspecies) is known as the Long-billed Corella.

Habitat:

Arid open country, including open forest, scrubland, savannah, usually near water.

Diet:

Seeds (exp. grasses and cereal crops) and bulbs, fruit and insects.

Breeding:

May be at any time, but usually June to October.

Usual nesting site is a large hollow limb or hole in trunk 3-10m above ground. Both sexes are involved in nest preparation. Nest carpeted with wood fragments. Both sexes incubate the eggs and care for the young.

In captivity hollow eucalypt logs are best suited for breeding. The log should be approximately 30-40 cm in internal diameter and about 1m in length. Vertical or inclined logs are acceptable. The preferred nesting material is a mixture of wood shavings and dirt or peat moss.
Birds intending to breed are generally excited and noisy and pay a great deal of attention to the nesting log. Both the cock and the hen chew around the entrance of the hollow and spend a great deal inside and around the entrance. Some excavation of the nest is also common, hence it is good practise to fill the nesting material to a reasonable depth (eg 6-8 inches).

Courtship Display

This is similar to many other cockatoos. Males screech excitedly and spread the wings and tail. With the crest erect and head bobbing, he approaches the female whilst uttering an unusual chuckling call.
Birds intending to breed are generally excited and noisy and pay a great deal of attention to the nesting log. Both the cock and the hen chew around the entrance of the hollow and spend a great deal inside and around the entrance. Some excavation of the nest is also common, hence it is good practise to fill the nesting material to a reasonable depth (eg 6-8 inches).

Sexual Maturity

These birds usually breed at 4-5 years of age. However, this may not always be the case. There are records of Little Corellas breeding at 2 years of age but this is under rather unusual circumstances such as in an overabundance of food. Similarly, sexually mature pairs may not breed until 6 or 7 years of age, depending on prevailing circumstances.

Clutch:

1-3 white oval eggs. Incubation period: 26days. Fledging usually occurs at 56 days.

Mutations and Hybrids:

Hybrids have been recorded with Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Major Mitchells, Galah and Gang-gang Cockatoo. There are no records of mutations in this species.

Suitable Aviaries and Compatible Birds

Historically, this species has been kept as a pet bird and most of us are probably aware of the typical "cocky-cage". As a minimum, a single bird may be housed in such a cage provided it measures at least 800mm x 600mm x 1200mm (approximately). Pairs can be kept in a slightly larger cage. However, these birds always fare better (and look more spectacular) in larger aviaries. These should be somewhere in the vicinity of 2m wide x 2m high x 5 or 6m long so as to provide amply flight space and to accommodate nesting logs etc.
The wire should be of a heavy duty grade, as cockatoos easily chew holes in lighter grade wire. Similarly, the frame should be constructed of steel to avoid the birds chewing the structure away.

Species Specific Problems

Intestinal worms are a common problem in species which spend considerable time on the ground. Similarly, fungal infections may become a problem. These are relatively easily dealt with however simply by maintaining a high standard of hygiene.
Another problem encountered in this species is Psittacine beak and feather disease. This is an incurable disease which is transmitted through feaces. Essentially, it results in poor feather growth and feathers which don't replace themselves when they fall out. Similarly, the beak is also affected and becomes fragile and does not repair itself. The bills of birds with this condition have a deep black, glossy appearance rather than the normal chalky grey colour.
It is advisable to test birds suspected to have this condition. The best course of action for affected birds is to destroy them as there is no cure. Infected birds will infect their offspring simply by feeding them as there is always chances of contact with faeces in the nest and during feeding of the young.
Feather plucking is also common to Corellas. This has a range of causes and can usually be rectified