The Million Dollar Bird Flock

 I was amazed to come across a huge flock of Corellas on my walk back to my Hotel at Caves Beach. There must have been about one thousand grazing on a field of flowers.
(Watch video above).
These a well known in Australia and offered as pets at about $1000, for a suitably reared and innoculated pet bird.
I was looking at a bird flock that looked like a million bucks!

The Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea) is one of the small species of cockatoo.  It’s feathers are white, a small rim of pink-orange feathers around the bill and yellow feathers under the wings. The bill and feet are bone-colored. The crest is small and white. The blueish naked patch around the eye is much bigger than in other species.




This species is one of the most common species of cockatoos in the wild. It occurs in Australia, mostly on open fields and is increasingly common in urban and agricultural areas. This species is one of the few species of animals that thrives because of human influences in Australia. They adapted to the higher availability of water in man-made wells and to the abundance of food provided by agriculture.

Care and Feeding

Corellas are often considered to be the most intelligent, playful and trainable of all parrots.   These birds average only 12-15 inches in length. Among the cockatoos, only the Cockatiel is smaller.  Corellas possess all the wonderful traits of their larger relatives, and few of the drawbacks.
Despite their small size, Corellas demand a great deal of attention.   Successful owners usually find that they become more like dogs than birds in their interactions with people.  Well-habituated cockatoos of all kinds love physical play and touching, often to an amazing degree.  They also tend to be unsurpassed when it comes to learning tricks.
The downside of all this is that they cannot tolerate boredom and solitude.  Like other cockatoos, Corellas also have very strong personalities, and need a kind but firm owner if behavioral problems are to be avoided.  Fortunately, Corellas tend to be quieter than larger species, and are not as quick to use their beaks to vent their frustrations.


Corellas are predominantly a seed eating species so their captive diet should consist of a mix of pellets and seed. An appropriate seed would be a large parrot mix or fruit and nut mix, however, sunflower seed intake should be minimal. Grit assists with digestion so small amounts should be added to their daily seed. Seed lacks important vitamins and minerals so their daily diet should be supplemented with small portions of fresh fruit and vegetables such as apple, carrot, beans, peas, corn, broccoli and spinach.
Fruit and vegetables should not be left for prolonged periods of time as they will easily spoil and this can lead to illness from the bacteria and yeasts that grow on spoilt produce. Vitamin supplements such as Soluvite D or Multivet can be added to your Corella's water two or three times a week.

Calcium and Iodine can be provided through cuttlebone and iodine bells. Fresh water should always be available and should be changed on a daily basis. Worming should be repeated every three months with a broad-spectrum bird wormer. It is essential that a good quality calcium supplement such as Calcivet is given to the bird at least 3 times a week for the first year.

Enrichment is all about enhancing the quality of life for your Cockatoo and generally relates back to activities they would usually perform in the wild. Foraging plays a big part in enrichment for birds. To search for food is a natural instinct all birds possess, so it is the perfect way to exercise both their body and mind. There is a vast range of foraging toys to suit all species of birds and keep them mentally stimulated for when you are not at home. It is a good idea to have several different types of foraging toys available, and to rotate them in the cage every couple of weeks.
Natural branches of varying lengths, shapes and thicknesses are essential for cockatoo species. There are many native branches that you could offer such as eucalyptus, gum, grevillea, bottle brush and lilly pilly, many of which have natural nuts and flowers that providing a foraging opportunity.

I have researched cage types with Kellyville Pets at Kellyville NSW and I suggest this one. Check it for yourselves at this link

Corella Cage Link