Ducorp

Ducorp Colony Notes

Overall Mood: This is a tightly bonded, loving flock. They are sweet and gentle with each other. All of the birds are active, agile flyers. Unlike, most of the other Cockatoo species we have, the Ducorps rarely forage on the bottom of their flight.

They are light chewers and even allow plants to grow in their flight! We rarely see them playing with toys. Ducorps are independent and far less demanding then the other Cockatoo species.

Wild Caught Ratio: 33% wild caught, 66% Domestic

Elbow Room: The Ducorps do not seem to need much personal space. They spend their days near each other. They always snuggle together for naps and at night.

Noise Level: This is one of the quietest Cockatoo flights. They have a voice that is very different from the other Cockatoos.

Aggression Issues: This colony does not have a flock leader. There has been only one instance where we witnessed any aggression. We put the Bare Eyed into the Ducorp colony while we did some maintenance on the Bare Eyed colony. The two colonies are next to each other , they have similar personalities, the two species are close in size and have similar activity levels. It was clear in the first 15 minutes that it was not going to work. We had to pull the Bare Eyed out, the Ducorp were dive bombing the intruders.

Colony Chuckle: Our Ducorps do not like strangers, they will move to the highest perch under the roof and sit quietly, in an attempt to hide. They will not be bribed by their favorite nuts either! When company leaves, they immediately relax and it is business as usual.

Mate Aggression: The Ducorp Cockatoo, has a reputation for mate aggression. In an effort to protect the females, it was common for breeding facilities to split the beaks of males. The procedure splits the lower mandible vertically through the growth plate, in an effort to reduce the pressure of the bite, which reduces the severity of the injury to the female. This procedure is still done, though less frequently. Unfortunately, with the lower mandible split, birds have difficulty eating and drinking. The lower mandible acts as a scoop when drinking water, the split creates a wide gap that water drains through. Additionally, a split beak overgrows quickly and needs frequent trimming which is stressful for the bird.

We have a split beak Ducorp in our colony. Alex has his photo on various sites across the internet to show an example of the beak splitting procedure. The photos show the overgrown “fangs” that spread out when his beak is allowed to overgrow. In person, if maintained properly, it is not quite as shocking. Alex has learned to adapt.

We have not witnessed any, same species aggression in this colony.