Interesting Facts
The Citron-Crested Cockatoo is a unique bird in every sense of the word. Hailing only from a tiny tropical island in southern Indonesia, it was never going to be a surprise that their population would be so small. However, this already vulnerable state has only been made worse in recent years by illegal trapping along with logging and conversion of forest to farming land. The result is that their numbers in their native homeland are now critically low. Strangely however, these birds are becoming much more common as pets. Known for their punk rock ‘hair-style’ they are a sub species of the over-arching Sulphur-crested cockatoo, and are the only type to have an orange crest instead of a yellow one. It is by far the coolest head of hair on any bird, flowing upwards when they display, when surprised or to show interest or excitement.
Our Sammy & Lola: Thanks to the successful breeding efforts of our Citron parents, Sammy & Lola were born and raised in our hatchery during the summer of 2014. They have been delighting guests on our parrot path ever since they were weaned at 6 months old and are a firm favourite among regular visitors. They are happy to mingle with both adults and children alike and are similar to the latter in their never-ending demand for attention. If they had their way, they would want to be fussed around the clock, only taking breaks for a walnut treat. They have been known to stealthily chew on clothing material while receiving cuddles, often leaving their victim with a hole new problem to worry about!
