Hello my name is Tia!
Cacatua citrinocristata
I am a 24 year old Citron Crested Cockatoo that arrived at The Hamilton Aviary when my owner could no longer look after me. I could live for up to 70 years or more and am a very interactive bird. I love being talked to, pet on my head, and asked to do my trick - Big Wings! I also enjoy dancing to Bruno Mars' Uptown Funk, marching around, and ringing my bell!
Likes
Being pet, ringing my bell, and dancing
Dislikes
Being left alone
Fav Foods
Walnuts, Sunflower seeds, and Pasta!
What I Can Say
Hi, Hello &
Woooooooo!
About Me and Other
Citron-Crested Cockatoos
Citron-Crested Cockatoo are one of the rarest cockatoos in the world! We can only be found on the small Indonesian island of Sumba. In 1997, the species occupied 17 out of 33 remaining forest fragments but only 5 of these were larger than 2,500 hectares (double the size of London Heathrow Airport).
We are similar in appearance to the Yellow-Crested Cockatoo and Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo, but in most cases are smaller than both and weigh about 10-75 grams more than a Yellow-Crested, but half as much as the Sulphur-Crested. We all also have slightly different shades of yellow on our crests. Citron-Crested's have a more golden yellow than similar species. A crest is the group of feathers on this bird's head which they can control and gives us insight into how they feel. Considering other body language a raised crest can indicate excitement or aggression.​
Considered critically endangered, it is suspected that the Citron-crested cockatoo population has experienced an 80% decline in the past 43 years due to illegal trapping, large-scale logging and deforestation, and persecution as a crop pest. Conservation efforts have managed to prevent further decline and stabilize the population. There are even hopes of recovery, however the species is extremely sensitive to any habitat loss, or extreme weather loss due to its very small range.
What I'm up to Now
I was adopted by a FOTA Volunteer!
When the sanctuary at Oak Knoll Drive closed its doors, I moved to live with my new family and feathered brother Harvey the Yellow Crowned Amazon. I've been doing well in my new home and have started talking more! I'm still learning that I can't be held 24/7, but am spending lots of time both inside and outside with my family!