What are the characteristics of the appearance, living habits and feeding management of the cockatoo?

Cockatoo is also called Hainan Parrot, Red-billed Parrot, Ying Ge Parrot and Dharma Parrot. Taxonomically, it belongs to Parrots, Nautilidae and Cockatoo. Distributed in southeastern Tibet, southwestern and southeastern Yunnan, western and southern Guangxi, Hong Kong and Hainan, as well as India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Indochina Peninsula and Indonesia.

Appearance: the body length is 22 ~ 36 cm, the weight is 85 ~ 168 g, the head is grape gray, the eyes are green, and a narrow black belt extends from the forehead to the eyes; Feather color is generally upper green and lower red, chin is white, throat and chest are grape red or brick red. The upper mouth is curved, coral red, the lower mouth is brown, the tip of the mouth is ivory, and the foot is dark yellow-green or slate yellow. The tail feathers are narrow and long, especially the two blue central tail feathers are long and wedge-shaped.

Ecology: Born in evergreen broad-leaved forest in low mountain areas and hilly areas. Group activities. Good at flying and climbing. The sound is thick and loud. They feed on berries, nuts and fruits of other wild plants, and also eat seeds, nectar, shoots and buds, as well as grains and insects. The breeding period is from March to May. Nesting in natural tree holes in evergreen broad-leaved forests in low mountains and hills. The nest is covered with sawdust, hemp or feathers. Each nest lays 3 ~ 4 eggs. The egg is oval and pure white. The incubation period is 28 days. Both male and female parents are responsible for hatching, and the brooding period is about 50 days.

Breeding: Cockatoo has a sharp mouth, likes to bite and is good at climbing. So keep it in a metal cage. The cage is 80 cm long, 40 cm wide and 50 cm high, or it is a big round cage with a diameter of 40 cm and a height of 56 cm. The upper part is bell-shaped, made of thick iron wire, and the cage bottom is made of iron sheet or aluminum sheet, which can be removed for easy cleaning. As an ornamental bird, it can also be raised on a metal perch, 60 cm high and 45 cm wide. Hardwood or metal poles are used as frame poles below, a dung bearing plate is under the frame pole, and food cans and water tanks are on the left and right sides. Ceramic or metal products are suitable. When feeding, one end of a thin metal chain is tied to one of its feet and the other end is tied to the shelf. When it is put on the shelf for the first time, the shelf should be placed near it to prevent it from falling off the shelf and causing casualties. Wait until it is used to perching on a shelf, and then hang it on a high place to enjoy it. There is also a big cage for group feeding. A big cage with a length of 4m, a width of 3m and a height of 3m can feed 10 ~ 20 animals. More wooden perches should be put in the cage, and the perches bitten by them should be replaced in time. Pay special attention to hygiene. Food and water tank should be cleaned daily, sand table in cage should be cleaned 1 ~ 2 times a week, and cage should be disinfected frequently. Pay attention to keep warm in winter, the indoor temperature should not be lower than 16℃, and the ventilation should be strengthened above 30℃ in summer. The cockatoo is physically strong, resistant to roughage and easy to raise, but it is essential to replenish food and water at any time. Its feed mainly includes sunflower seeds, rice, corn, peanuts, sorghum and various fruits and vegetables. Soak the corn stigma and feed it. The proportion is 60% corn and 40% rice, and auxiliary feed is added according to different seasons. Hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, pine nuts and peanuts increased by 20% in autumn and winter, and increased by 10% in spring and summer. Under artificial breeding, breeding can be carried out from April to August every year. A hole with a diameter of 20 cm can be cut on the trunk to replace the nest box, and the size of the nest is 40 cm× 20 cm× 20 cm. In the process of breeding and hatching, breeders should pay attention to the stability of the environment, minimize external interference and avoid being frightened. So as not to disturb parents to abandon their nests and affect hatching and brooding. Inorganic salt feed such as oyster powder or bone meal should be added during breeding period, and cooked eggs should be added every day during brooding period. Ensure that the room temperature, food and water are sufficient after the birds hatch. During the winter breeding period, the indoor temperature should be kept above 20℃, the relative humidity should be around 50%, and the indoor air should be kept ventilated.