Long Billed Corellas

Here we have probably the most intelligent member of the cockatoo family. On a par with the remarkable Kea when it comes to brain-power, problem-solving - such as unscrewing bottle-tops to get to a treat inside or undoing combination locks to gain access to forbidden treasures - is all in a day’s play for this fantastic comedian!

One of the most amusing sights I remember is when I had some baby corellas who loved to play with red-coloured toy balls, seeing how wide they could open their beaks in order to grab the intriguingly-round objects. They looked most surprised when one of the balls protested vociferously – it turned out to be an indignant baby scarlet parrot whom they thought was just another red ball!

Rolling onto their backs to ‘juggle’ an object is just another in their range of amusing antics, and whilst they do rip up soft toys, they are much less destructive than some of the other cockatoo breeds. All in all, an affectionate and amusing pet, with a quite unique look and personality.