The squeals of a happy cockatoo enjoying the sun!

*** As a rescue bird who lived through stressful times before finding happiness, Benjamin would like anyone considering the adoption of a U2, to think about it long and hard before doing so. You can see by Benji's lack of feathers, that a cockatoo (or any bird) in a stressful situation, whether intentional or unintentional by its owner, pays a price. All of Benji's feather loss happened in the 2 years before he came to live with us. That's all it took to lose forever, half of his natural feather growth - 2 years of plucking. And while he no longer plucks, he will never fly, and will forever carry with him the evidence of neglect. Most birds live in difficult situations far longer than Benji did, and because of that, many pluck until they are entirely bald.

It is important to understand that the difference in intensity between the needs of a U2, and almost any other bird, is like the difference between shooting a bullet, and throwing it. While all animals are sentient beings, capable of emotion and intellect, cockatoos take it to the next level. They are extremely intelligent, emotional creatures, who require several dedicated hours of attention each and every day (watching tv in the same room where the bird is sitting in a cage does not count). They hate cages, hate to be ignored, love to chew on furniture, are chainsaw-next-to-your-ear LOUD, and easily stressed. They are basically rowdy children, who never grow up. They develop a very strong emotional bond with "their people," and yet most are re-homed 3x by the age of 2 - and they live to be 60+, so you can imagine the emotional toll...

These birds are quickly adopted because of their adorable appearance, ability to talk, and amusing antics, but many people are surprised to learn that caring for them adequately is difficult and time consuming. The bird is then stressed when it does not get what it needs, so it screams continuously, and self-mutilates by plucking its feathers, over and over again. In most cases, the follicles eventually die and the feathers do not grow back. Even more dramatic than the plucking, or the merciless screaming, some birds dig holes in their skin, creating pain and deep massive wounds - the bird version of a human method of dealing with stress, called "cutting." These are habits they develop that often stay with them for the entirety of their lives, even after they find loving forever homes.

If you adopt, please understand fully what you're getting into beforehand. Provide them with as much space as possible, and boundless entertainment to feed their expansive minds. Be prepared to give them the time and attention they need every day to be happy, and do your utmost to be a forever home for your bird.

If you are the best you can be for the bird, the bird will be the best it can be for you. Believe me, the effort pays off a million times over.