Introducing My Beautiful Major Mitchell's Cockatoo, "Bella"!

[Marcy]

I'm still looking for the photos, Marcy. I'm thinking now I took them on my nice (but old) film camera, it was 2007 and I still had some film left, I think.

We came by our princess by accident, in a way. It was the last survivor of a clutch of three, the parents rejected it on first hot day of spring last year (October). The breeder (our friend from last town we lived at) gave us two birds, plus Kermit to raise for him, but didn't want him back when he discovered the deformed beak wasn't improving- and he can still only eat pellet paste, greens and a little hulled sunflower. The paste is made up twice per day, so it's a bit of work. He's a real character, we love him dearly. They are a little bigger than a cockatiel, and heavier across the chest, and with a much longer tail. They are beautiful in flight as the tail fans out and shows the pink underneath. I go up to his cage and talk to him and he comes right up close and looks me right in the eye! He doesn't do this outside the cage and hates being touched except on beak and gently stroked on the breast. There are pics of him in the forum.

Thanks so much for looking for the photos!

Thank you so much for telling me his story!! He's a special needs bird, that is absolutely precious and very kind of you to adapt his food!! I have a daughter with many special needs. Words can't describe what she means to me. I always say even though i do all her care and fully take care of her every need, she gives to me far great greater than what i can ever do for her! I am looking for Kermits photos right now!! Thank you for sharing!

 

[Bundiibird]

Marcy - I am heading up to my parents place in about 3 weeks and they have a huge flock of the white cockatoos that always visit in the afternoons. I will try to get some pics for you then. It is nothing for them to have like 20 or 30 toos in their back yard. They are very mischievous. They have destroyed my mums clothesline, the awnings on their outside entertainment area and various other bits and pieces. Dad used to leave the bucket of birdseed outside in their laundry but has had to lock it up as the birds kept helping themselves.

 

[Marcy]

Marcy - I am heading up to my parents place in about 3 weeks and they have a huge flock of the white cockatoos that always visit in the afternoons. I will try to get some pics for you then. It is nothing for them to have like 20 or 30 toos in their back yard. They are very mischievous. They have destroyed my mums clothesline, the awnings on their outside entertainment area and various other bits and pieces. Dad used to leave the bucket of birdseed outside in their laundry but has had to lock it up as the birds kept helping themselves.

Bundiibird are you serious!?! Thank you so much!! Wow!! I will look forward to it! I just purchased the 4 DVD World of Parrots from Australia from World Parrot Trust! I never even thought about them destroying things outside! Thanks for sharing! Thanks for getting photos!!

 

[Mike17]

That is awesome!!! How amazing it would be too witness that! I have never heard of pawpaw. I love that they hid at the back of the tree! adorable. Thank you for sharing! Amazing!

Pawpaw=papaya, Marcy. They are quite common here, they are a large globular green fruit which turns orange when they're ripe. Flesh looks and tastes a little like rockmelon (cantaloupe) and there are masses of small pea sized black seeds in the middle which many birds like along with the flesh. As with eggplant (aubergine) you probably know it as familiar fruit but by a different name.

Pawpaw trees are tall and skinny, and keep getting taller as branches drop off at the top (like a crown) and are replaced higher up. You need one male tree to 4-6 females, so never single trees. I have one of each here, one female having died after previous occupant planted them a few years back. Probably lack of water as there has only been about 75mm rain all year. They are easy and quick to grow outside areas of cold winters and frosts.

 

[Mike17]

Bella is a little beauty!! I too a drooling on my keyboard. So so wonderful that you can give her a happy home too. Looks like she has beautiful fids to play with. 😃

Minamommy, I wanted to thank you for your post! Thank you for seeing through what I said that she has a happy home!! She indeed is! And she loves her friends! All my fids are treated with royalty! I have a daughter with special needs and they are our lives! Its difficult to do things outside our home, so our hobby, fun, enjoyment in life is our parrots! We make bird toys every day because it means so much to her to make something for them then watch them play with it. Also, when shes doing therapy and in so much pain, the birds entertain her, carry on, do flips, do tricks, anything they can to get her mind off of it! Its unbelievable how they know! What a blessing!! Thank you for your post!

My youngest daughter, aged 20, has special needs, although she left home last year as I live in remote areas (2-3 year postings) and she went to live in Sydney where services are very much better. She went blind at 13 and is also on the autistic spectrum, but by no means incapacitated. Our birds loved her, the corella would come inside (not that he is allowed) and sit at her feet for ages as she "watched" TV (actually she'd record the audio and listen again later). She actually worked at a bird place in Sydney briefly but they were concerned about their workplace insurance so she now works at a plant nursery part-time. She has a real "way" with animals and I'm convinced that just as some humans are considered "charismatic" with other humans, some people are the same with animals. Unfortunately she can't have pets at her rented townhouse in outer Sydney. I'm 5000 km away now but she's talking of flying/bussing over for Xmas!

 

[Marcy]

Pawpaw=papaya, Marcy. They are quite common here, they are a large globular green fruit which turns orange when they're ripe. Flesh looks and tastes a little like rockmelon (cantaloupe) and there are masses of small pea sized black seeds in the middle which many birds like along with the flesh. As with eggplant (aubergine) you probably know it as familiar fruit but by a different name.

Pawpaw trees are tall and skinny, and keep getting taller as branches drop off at the top (like a crown) and are replaced higher up. You need one male tree to 4-6 females, so never single trees. I have one of each here, one female having died after previous occupant planted them a few years back. Probably lack of water as there has only been about 75mm rain all year. They are easy and quick to grow outside areas of cold winters and frosts.

Oh my goodness I didn't know the Pawpaw produced papaya! I have eaten them and like them!I love eggplant as well!

That is so interesting about the tree itself. 1 male to 4-6 female, wow. I will have to look them up sometime! Thanks for explaining!

 

[Marcy]

My youngest daughter, aged 20, has special needs, although she left home last year as I live in remote areas (2-3 year postings) and she went to live in Sydney where services are very much better. She went blind at 13 and is also on the autistic spectrum, but by no means incapacitated. Our birds loved her, the corella would come inside (not that he is allowed) and sit at her feet for ages as she "watched" TV (actually she'd record the audio and listen again later). She actually worked at a bird place in Sydney briefly but they were concerned about their workplace insurance so she now works at a plant nursery part-time. She has a real "way" with animals and I'm convinced that just as some humans are considered "charismatic" with other humans, some people are the same with animals. Unfortunately she can't have pets at her rented townhouse in outer Sydney. I'm 5000 km away now but she's talking of flying/bussing over for Xmas!

Thank you so much for sharing about your daughter!!! My daughter is 16. Your right, Hannah has an amazing connection to them! How awesome your daughter worked at a bird place! I am so sorry she is so far away from you, but in hopes she is able to return for Christmas! I actually don't know how far distance is in km, but it sounds far. That is precious about your Corella, I'm sure they will all be excited to see her! I can't thank you enough for sharing! Anyone that has been blessed with a child having a special need is truly chosen by God! I always say I am so thankful He chose me to care for my Hannah!! She's my best friend! And very protected by her older 2 siblings! Thank you again!

 

[lisascannell]

So so gorgeous!!

 

[Mike17]

Marcy, Sydney is east coast, Perth west coast. Like NY and Los Angeles in distance. I'm another 900km (~550miles) north of Perth so it's like LAX-NYC then travelling down to Florida

I've attached a pic of a mixed flock galahs and corellas on our front lawn and on the street verges in general. There are flocks of these two species in their hundreds around this town.

 

[Marcy]

Marcy, Sydney is east coast, Perth west coast. Like NY and Los Angeles in distance. I'm another 900km (~550miles) north of Perth so it's like LAX-NYC then travelling down to Florida

I've attached a pic of a mixed flock galahs and corellas on our front lawn and on the street verges in general. There are flocks of these two species in their hundreds around this town.

THANK YOU!!! Your photo was the first thing I looked at when I woke this morning, I was SO excited!! I saved it on my BlackBerry and just now saved it on my laptop! I just love it! I can't believe how many their are! I've never seen anything like that before! There are so many!!! When we see a wild bird, such as a hawk, eagle etc, its one or two, not one or two hundred! They are beautiful!! I can't thank you enough for the photo!!!

 

[Marcy]

Marcy, Sydney is east coast, Perth west coast. Like NY and Los Angeles in distance. I'm another 900km (~550miles) north of Perth so it's like LAX-NYC then travelling down to Florida

I've attached a pic of a mixed flock galahs and corellas on our front lawn and on the street verges in general. There are flocks of these two species in their hundreds around this town.

I was so excited about the photo I missed the first part of your message! I fully understand the distance now,thank you for putting it exactly how I could understand it!!

 

[Mike17]

THANK YOU!!! Your photo was the first thing I looked at when I woke this morning, I was SO excited!! I saved it on my BlackBerry and just now saved it on my laptop! I just love it! I can't believe how many their are! I've never seen anything like that before! There are so many!!! When we see a wild bird, such as a hawk, eagle etc, its one or two, not one or two hundred! They are beautiful!! I can't thank you enough for the photo!!!

My pleasure, Marcy. We missed a better shot as the lady across the road came home in her car and as she got out they were spooked a little. You can see them in the air around her car. At one stage there were several hundred birds on our lawn (if you could call it that) plus the nature strip and neighbours' lawns. I'll have to get a shot some time of hundreds of cockatoos sitting on the power lines. There aren't many around at the moment, they've moved to where it has rained I guess. There has been very little rain here lately and indeed all year. They were certainly here in numbers in later summer and into autumn.

 

[Marcy]

My pleasure, Marcy. We missed a better shot as the lady across the road came home in her car and as she got out they were spooked a little. You can see them in the air around her car. At one stage there were several hundred birds on our lawn (if you could call it that) plus the nature strip and neighbours' lawns. I'll have to get a shot some time of hundreds of cockatoos sitting on the power lines. There aren't many around at the moment, they've moved to where it has rained I guess. There has been very little rain here lately and indeed all year. They were certainly here in numbers in later summer and into autumn.

THANKS! I actually took note to the lady getting out of her car scaring them into the air! I can't believe they actually sit on power lines. Thank you so much for trying to get a pic of that! I am so amazed!

 

[Fahad.M]

how awesome she is