toos often become imprinted on hu­ mans, Le. they think that you are Little Corella they, even down to treating a particu­ (Cacatua sanguinea) lar human as their partners. So they long for your company and attention byJohn McGrath which they will reciprocate if YASS, NSW, Australia offered. Little Corellas make excellent People often ask me what does a ~ aviary inhabitants. As long as they are Little Corella look like? The easiest ~:=--::~~~;::8 provided with timber perches to way to describe to a lay person what ~~~~!I'f""-:ci chew, a well balanced diet and fresh a Little Corella looks like, is like a ~ water, you can expect a pair to breed Galah, but white. Most people are g for 20 to 30 years. Once your pair is familiar with the Galah, but on the ~ bonded, they will spend hours mu­ other hand are not familiar with the ~ tually preening and become totally E Little Corella. The standard answer is ~ devoted to each other. The young usually a puzzled "Oh!" ~ pair should be introduced as early in The Little Corella is very similar to ~ age as possible, say at 12 months or the Galah in size and shape, but with ~ younger if possible. I would think basically snow white, immaculate ~ that Little Corellas would commence plumage. The birds have grey feet, a ~ to breed at around five years of age a.. hom colored bill, and a blue peri­ and continue to reproduce for the ophthalmic eye ring. Most specimens period of time mentioned before. carry a tinge of reddish-pink feather­ Most white cockatoos have a similar ing between the bill and the eye. life span to humans. Sometimes this extends to below the A suitable aviary would be 1.2 eye. The white plumage is suffused meters wide, 2.1 meters high, and 6 with lemon-yellow. This can be ob­ meters long, with a suitable hard­ served when the wing and tail too species, are very intelligent wood perch secured at either end, feathers are outstretched in the parrots and therefore hand reared steel tube construction, a shelter pro­ threat pose, or while the bird is in birds deserve extra treatment. Unfor- vided at least 1.8 meters deep and flight. tunately because hand reared cocka- roofed to at least the same depth. The Little Corella's voice could be a drawback to those attempting to hold this species in suburbia and re­ main appeasing to the neighbors. It has a series ofhigh pitched screeches and a waving wail which can be heard for many kilometers. To accurately sex these birds, I suggest surgically sexing, a com­ monly performed operation these days. It should be performed by an avian veterinarian. The Little Corella occurs over a vast area ofmainland Australia, mainly the drier interior and to the northwest coast. They also occur in various sub­ species to the islands to the north of Australia. There are also several sub­ species on the mainland ofAustralia. They can occur in massive flocks of literally thousands of birds, to some­ times a solitary pair. Man has cropped areas where the Little Corella is local and hence great con­ flict between man and bird occurs. When the birds attack this newfound food source, it results in the death of thousands ofbirds per annum. Little Corellas make very interest­ ing pets either caged or at semi­ freedom; hand reared examples are fine for this. They become proficient talkers and will even learn basic tricks. Little Corellas, like all cocka- afa WATCHBJHD 61 The walls could be completely cov­ worms to his pair. I was able to identify my pair from ered in the same material as the shel­ You can also give your birds chop special individual features. The cock ter. The remainder of the roof should and chicken bones, or thawed, fro­ bird's crest was taller and narrower be covered with an opaque material. zen mice or baby mice or rats. I am and was more tightly feathered; the Mesh should be at least 3 to 4 mm in sure the birds would love this extra hen being looser in feather around diameter, and 25mm by 25 mm protein. the head and body generally. If you square wire. A door could be pro­ Grit and calcium supplements take time to study your individual vided, which could be the entire should be proVided. For breeding pair, you will observe these special front ofthe enclosure. Little Corellas, a log of approximate features for yourself. A concrete floor is nearly essential dimensions as follows could be sup­ They laid three eggs and hatched to help cleaning of the aviary. It is plied: 900 mm to 1000 mm deep three chicks which is not an uncom­ also used to stop the Corellas from with an internal diameter of 280 mm monclutch. digging out and pests such as rats to 300 mm, and the end sealed off I held this pair in my aviary from from digging in. The aviary should with a section of flat iron or similar. 1968 until parting with them in the face north to northeast to take advan­ Fill this log to the top with rotten mid-1980s. During this period they tage ofthe morning sun. wood dirt, wood chips, soil, etc. raised young almost every year. They Water can be prOVided in either an Place it vertically on an old 12 gallon were of an unknown age when they earthenware dish or an enamel dish dmm in the shelter of the aviary. came into my possession in 1968. with a capacity of 10 to 20 liters. Take care that your particular dmm is This period of reproduction will help Seed could be supplied in a recep­ not msted out, allowing the log to fall substantiate my earlier claim as to the tacle similar to an upside down gar­ through. The Corellas will clean out reproductive capacity ofthis species. bage tin lid mounted clear of the the dirt, etc. to suit their require­ I believe in close-banding all my ground. Seed can be supplied pre­ ments. The log is placed on the dmm young birds with a closed metal ring, mixed. Suitable grains include sun­ so the aviculturist can monitor what which has particular information flower, oats, barley, plain canary, or is happening inside the log. You stamped into it, i.e. reference to French white millet. should be able to look down inside 31-1-81. You can keep a written Greens can be supplied on an easily and reach the nesting chamber easily. record and use it for data collection constmcted mesh shelf hung on the Be careful the pair doesn't over exca­ at a later date. inside of the front door. This will vate the log so you cannot reach the Hopefully this short report on my help keep the fresh green food off base. experience with a breeding pair of the floor. Sprouted seed can be given By being able to see to the bottom Little Corellas will encourage others in an easily cleaned, small tray inside of the hollow, you can see when the to take on the breeding and keeping the larger seed tray. birds lay, young hatch, etc. You can of these beautiful and interesting Greens are appreciated all year reach, measure and weigh the eggs cockatoos. Be careful when you mate round and can consist of heads of and chicks. This way if a problem de­ up pairs you select from the same seeding grasses, or just a handful of velops you have the upper hand by subspecies to avoid breeding a clover, and fmits and vegetables. This knowing before it goes too far. ,'mongrel" Little Corella. additional food is almost imperative My particular pair has bred in both Unfortunately I do not hold a pair when the birds have young in the natural logs and the old 10 gallon of Little Corellas at present, but have nest. From my 1981 diary notes, I see milk dmms that dairy farmers used to a single young cock. I soon hope to I fed a lot of milk thistle, apple, take their milk to market in. The nest venture back into this species to in­ pumpkin and even the aforemen­ receptacle was hung at an angle in crease my studies on the corella tioned handful ofclover. the shelter. The milk dmms were group in general. Particularly when the Corellas have provided with a mesh ladder and For further reference reading on young, they need the extra vitamins wood dirt in the bottom comer. The Little Corellas these books are recom­ and minerals supplied from soaked dmms had to be watched as they be­ mended reading: and sprouted seed. Nothing "flash" came hot in the warmer weather. I The World of Cockatoos by Karl need be soaked, just the normal dry now used the latter nest log on the Diefenbach seed mixed and soaked in water for dmm with good results. Parrots, Their Care and Breeding 24 hours and then rinsed twice daily In the last 10 years I've tended to by Rosemary Low to keep it from going sour. If you become more scientific in my ap­ Australian Cockatoos by Stan Sien­ wanted that little extra, some of the proach to aviculture. del and Robert Lynn legume family could be soaked, e.g. I now measure eggs and monitor Australian Parrots by Joseph M. Lupins, Field Peas, Mung Beans, etc. weight gains of young and record Forshaw The soaked, sprouted seed can be fed some for future breeding reference. Parrots ofthe World by Joseph M.