Breeding and Raising White-tailed Black Cockatoos by Bill Wegner New Paltz, New York The distribution of the white-tailed character for separating the two races is black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus culmen length. The southern race has funereus baudinii) is restricted to the an extended maxilla or upper beak, farmlands of southwest Australia, which more closely resembles the RT. 1, BOX 218M • RED BLUFF, CA 96080 where it is reproductively isolated from shape of a macaw beak. The northern (916) 527-6465 the eastern nominate subspecies, the race has a shorter, blunt beak typical of funereal or yellow-tailed black cocka­ the genus Cacatua (greater sulphurs, Swans are my only business. too (Cf funereusJ. The Banksian, or moluccans, etc.). • AUSTRALIAN BLACKS red-tailed black cockatoo (c. Decline in numbers, due mainly to • BLACK-NECKED magnificus) occurs sympatrically with logging and clearing of suitable nesting • MUTE SWANS bothfunereus subspecies, but is behav­ trees, has rendered the white-tails the • TRUMPETERS iorally and morphologically quite least abundant of the black cockatoos. • ROSE-BREASTED COCKA TOOS distinct from either. Forshaw I first acquired a pair of white-tails in • CONURES (Australian Parrots, 1969, Melbourne, 1980, in response to an advertisement I A Dedicated Hobby Lansdowne Press) describes two races solicited seeking rarer cockatoos. The of the white-tailed black cockatoo, pair had been imported from southeast which may comprise taxonomically Asia in 1969, ostensibly as yearlings (the distinct subspecies if the two do not male's beak had not yet darkened, interbreed in the wild. The primary which occurs in the second year). AVIARY & ANIMAL PET SUPPLY ,..---..., (; .<:: S 125 COOPER DRIVE ro ;>, HURST, TEXAS 76053 J:l o (5 Silver Flight Premium Bird Diets, 16 Dif­ .<:: ferent Breeding & Flight Cages, Electric 0.. Foggers, J-Clips, J-Clip Pliers, Flush Ground Cutting Pliers, Canthaxanthin for Red Canaries, Automatic Watering Systems, ~rrot Stands, Metal Trays, Metal Feeders & Fountains, Pop Bottle Water Founts, Oasis Bird Waterers, Aluminum Parrot Cups, Ketch-All Mouse Trap, Incubators, Planit & Lustar Feeders & Drinkers, 8 Different Canary Nests, Bird Nets, Prevue, Pacific & Rep­ pco Bird Cages, Record Tag Holders. Pedigree Forms, Books & Medications Much More. Send $1.00 for Illustrated Catalog '3 by First Class Mail. The Avicultural Society of America, Inc., welcomes new members, We publish a monthly bulletin on all aspects of aviculture. Anyone in­ terested in becoming a member please contact; Don {/1 Connie Howard, 1005 N. Eucalyptus, Rialto, CA 92376. Yearly dues $15.00. Overseas members, please add $5.00 to cover postage. A year old male white-tail. 36 Through comparison with study skins The T-Shirt For The Bird Lover at the American Museum of atural $9.95 History in ew York, I determined that 50% cot., 50% poly. my pair was of the shorter-beaked white, It. blue, heather northern race in origin. Both birds were blue, beige very healthy, in fine feather, and had adult sizes - S. M, L, XL been maintained on a diet of standard children sizes - S, M, L parrot mix and vitamin supplement for the duration of their captivity. I was as­ LONG-SLEEVE tounded to learn that they had been T-SHIRT $12.95 caged together for 11 years, kept as Colombian blue . family pets, but had never been offered adult sizes - S, M. L a nesting barrel or given any opportun­ ity to breed. LONG-SLEEVE I transferred the pair to an outdoor SWEATSHIRT breeding facility in April 1981, after any $16.00 danger of snow or freezing tempera­ grey - adult sizes-S.M,L tures had passed. The flight pen measured 16x8x8 ft. with 5 ft. of one All items brightly silk-screened with end roofed and sided for protection PLANNED PARROTHOOD@ design from wind and rain. In the northwest corner, up against the roofing, I in­ NOTEPADS 5295 BUMPER STICKERS stalled an oak nesting barrel, measuring 50 sheets ea. 3 for 57.95 5150 30x18x18 in., with the circular to-in. diameter entrance hole near the top of HATCH CERTIFICATES HATCH RECORD CARDS the south face. The box was positioned Numbered 25 for 5595 5 x 8 25 for 52.95 at a 45-degree angle, with lateral corru­ Send check or money order plus $1.50 gations cut across the inside face of the postage & handling (NYS residents add tax) down-tilted wall, so that the birds would be able to enter the cavity at the to' top, and climb up or down the side of .Planned Parrothood ® the box without having to drop onto Old Quaker Lane, Dept. AWB, Highland Mills, NY 10930 the bottom or jumping up to get out. This is most valuable in avoiding egg breakage caused by otherwise clumsy 14" entrances and exits by the long-tailed birds. The bottom of the box was lined LOVE with 3-4 in. ofsawdust and wood shav­ ings, with several small holes drilled BIRD through the oak bottom to facilitate water drainage. A small observation BREEDING door was cut in the side wall to allow for removal ofeggs. Aperch led direct!y UNIT to the entrance from outside the box to permit easy access for the birds. Four • SPACE SAVING AND HYGIENIC other perches were positioned at var­ • ATIRACTIVE AN D PRACTICAL ious intervals along the length of the • SUCCESSFULLY TRIED flight pen. • REASONABLY PRICED The birds spent the rest of the spring COST and summer acclimating to the outdoor Breeding Unit as shown 481bs. $135.00 setting and to the flight pen. The pair 4 Nest Boxes 3,4" Pine 251bs. 40.00 seemed to be very strongly bonded, but 4 Clear Plastic Soft 6lbs. 24.00 courtship was often interrupted by the Floor Covers 1/16" x 12" x 36" novelty of observing natural phenom­ $199.00 Total Cost + Shipping ena, such as passing insects or other birds. In his displays, the male would bow toward the female, raise his crest • Wire 1fz x 216 gao G.B.W. • Unit Shipped Unassembled ~o and cluck rapidly, while fanning his tail • All Orders Shipped UPS open and closing it several times, • Michigan Residents Add 4% Sales Tax • Please enclose self-addressed stamped displaying the striking broad white tail­ envelope for more information on our band. The female would respond by new quality aviaries and cages. bowing parallel to her perch and drop­ ping whichever wing was facing the 1001 SCHUSTER male. He would then mount her from KALAMAZOO, MI 49001 SEND ORDER TO: PHONE (616) 345-2174 the side and copulation would occur. Copulation was infrequent in 1981, and 37 by August the female had just begun ex­ Actually, the down is bright yellow, ploring the nesting barrel. By the end of similar to that of the red-tailed blacks. September, it was apparent that the The chicks were tube fed with sy­ · BIRD _EBR@ . decreasing photoperiod was hormon­ ringes tipped withsurgical tubing. They ally diminishingreproductivebehavior. were fed a pre-boiled, warm mixture of 13920 E. Imperial Hwy. ~~ La Mirada. CA 90638 /- Mutual preening was commonly ob­ ground sunflower seeds (hulled), raw ~... (213) 921-8543 served, but the female had lost all inter­ wheat germ, and dried dog food, with Expert canary breeder for over 14 est in the barrel, and copulation had Avia supplement added once daily. The years will be glad to assist you on ceased altogether. I removed the pair young were brooded individually in CARING, MATCHING, and from the flight and transferred them cardboard boxes under heat lamps. BREEDING of CANARIES. back to an indoor holding pen for the Sifted wood shavings comprised the owners duration of the fall and winter. bedding substrate. Sifting the shavings Wholesale/Retail Mei & Luis Chen On April 15, 1982, the white-tails over 1/2-in. mesh hardware cloth were again transferred to the outdoor removes any pieces small enough for Rice Birds, all color flight for a second attempt at breeding. the chicks to swallow. As bedding, The male had been displaying indoors shavings permit waste material to sift mutations of Scarlet since February, but no copulation was down through them, thereby removing Chested Turquosines observed. From mid-May onward, the it from the constant feeding solicita­ and Bourke's (rosey, female left the nesting barrel only to tions of the chicks. etc.), imported feed, bathe, and mate. On June 24 she Growth rates were slow but steady. English Budgies laid a single egg. Having had consider­ The young white-tails were not fully Reasonable prices able success hatching and raising feathered until 11 weeks of age, which Dr. [, Mrs. R. Travnicek various species of raptors,I decided to supports Forshaw's reported nest-life artificially incubate the cockatoo eggs, period of76 days. They were able to be in an effort to induce the female to re­ sexed at five to six weeks, with the two Turkey Creek cycle and lay again or"doubleclutch." I males havingdullerearcoverts, broader Wilber, NB 68465 replaced the first egg with a plastic white tail-bands, and gray legs and feet, dummy egg, hoping it would stimulate as opposed to the two females' brown Kilrlgs Aviary her to lay a 2-egg clutch, and she laid legs and feet. All four fledged at approx­ Sky her second egg six days later, on June imately 600 grams, but within a month 5165 ROUTE 43 KENT, OHIO 44240 30. I then removed the dummy egg and had slimmed down to 530-550 g. They the real egg and waited for her to re­ required hand-feeding until the end of Vicky and Kent cycle. The eggs were incubated in a March 1983. Kibler Marsh Roll-X incubator and maintained I kept one pair of 1982 young as -WE SHIP- at a constant 37.5°C (99.5°F).