A Guide to Black Cockatoos: As Pet & Aviary Birds

Book by Casuarina Parrot Gardens

• Title: 'A Guide to Black Cockatoos: As Pet & Aviary Birds'
• Publisher: ABK Publications

Authored by successful cockatoo breeders Neville and Noddy Connors, this title featuring 300 colour photographs over 160 pages is available in hard and soft cover.

Chapters on Black Cockatoos in Captivity include Taxonomy, Conservation Aspects, Status, Housing, Nestlogs, General Husbandry topics and Feeding. The extensive Breeding chapters include invaluable information on the Selection of Breeding stock; Pair Compatibility; Colony Breeding; Providing a Haven for the Hen; Management of the Aggressive Cock; Mating and Infertility and Nest Inspection. A good amount of detail has been devoted to the Artificial Incubation and Handrearing chapters.

The next section discusses Black Cockatoos as Pets which guides the pet owner through Selection, Preparing a Home and points on what to expect over the first days of relocating a new pet into the family environment. Other details include Diet, Taming and Behavioural Problems in companion birds.

The individual species section features all the black cockatoo species and subspecies of the genus Calyptorhynchus, the Palm Cockatoo Probosciger aterrimus and the Gang Gang Cockatoo Callocephalon fimbraitum. Information on each species includes their Distribution and Habits in the Wild, Diet, Breeding, Handrearing and growth charts, Status and Suitability as Pets in Captivity.

As Neville and Noddy Connors have not had the opportunity to keep the Palm Cockatoo they approached William Horsfield of Amazona Birds in South Africa to prepare this chapter. William has not skimped on his information on keeping and breeding this grand species.