. Slender billed Corella
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- An Australian Parrot
(Click on photo to enlarge)
- Scientific Name: Cacatua tenuirostris
- Common Name/s:
SLENDER BILLED CORELLA, EASTERN CORELLA, EASTERN LONG BILLED
CORELLA, LONG BILLED CORELLA.
- Sub Species in country / area of origin:
None
- Origin / Distribution:
South-eastern Australia.
- Habitat In Wild: Grassy woodlands,
but will move into urban areas, parks and gardens to find food.
- Status In Wild: Numbers are
increasing due to their use of farmland crops as an alternative food
source. Feral populations have established outside their
natural range. Can be considered a pest in some farming areas
due to the damage it does to crops such as cereals and sunflower .
- Status In (Australian) Captivity:
Not many bred in captivity. Mainly kept as a pet or companion
bird.
- Age To Sexual Maturity: 3 - 4
years
- Lifespan (estimate): approx.
20 or more
years
- Sexing: Monomorphic
/ Dimorphic Surgical or DNA sexing is advisable.
- Colour mutations: None
- Availability: Bird dealers and
specialist breeders. Not a popular bird due in part to it being
considered as an unattractive bird.
- Temperament: Docile and can make
good pets but are noisy and may not be suitable in built up areas.
For breeding, best kept one pair per aviary. Can learn to talk
- Cost (Victoria) Per Pair: -
Normal colour (Approx.) $200
- Description Of Adults:
- Length: Approx 370 mm (or approx 15 inches)
- Colour ( "normal" colour ): Refer
photo/s above
(Click on photo to enlarge).
- Weight: Approx 500 - 650 gms (or approx 18 - 23 ozs)
Aviary
Notes:
Level Of Knowledge Required:
Beginner / Intermediate
/ Advanced / Specialist
Breeders Only.
Government Regulations & By-Laws:
Refer to " Government Laws " web page.
Housing Requirements: Refer to "
Housing Birds " web page for general
details on the housing of Cockatoos or read on for specific details for
this parrot.
An aviary of 4 to 5 metres long will allow
these birds to be able to get adequate exercise. Minimum length
should be about 3 metres (10 feet). The aviary should
be about 1.2 to 1.5 metres wide and about 2.1 metres high. Heavy
gauge wire is necessary, preferably galvanized weldmesh.
Should be housed as one pair per aviary.
The Slender billed Corella is often intolerant of other birds in an
aviary. If they are housed with other birds, they may harm the
other birds or even kill them. Double wiring between adjoining
aviaries is essential. They love to bathe.
They can be housed and bred in a
suspended cage. For best long term breeding results, it is best to
allow birds that have been confined to a suspended cage during the
breeding season access to an aviary during the non-breeding season.
A suspended cage should be about 1 metre wide and 1 metre high and 2 to
3 metres long.
Suitable non-toxic leafy branches can be placed in the aviary for the birds to chew up.
This will entertain the birds, help minimize boredom and give the birds
some beak exercise. Natural branches can be used for perches. These
natural perches will be chewed by the birds and may need to be replaced
regularly.
Diet / Feeding: Refer to "
Feeding Birds
" web page for general
details on the feeding of Cockatoos or read on for specific details for
this parrot.
In the wild these birds forage for food
on the ground. Natural foods include seeds, fruits, leaf and
flower buds, nuts and fruiting bodies from native trees and shrubs. The
Slender billed Corella has a long pointed bill
adapted for digging into the ground to get to bulbs and roots.
Also used to dig in cereal and grain crops. Insects form part of
the natural diet.
These birds now consume a variety of
introduced plants and plant seeds and as a result these birds can
survive outside their natural range. They are able to make use of
a very wide range of foods.
Aviary diet includes canary seed, corn,
hulled oats, millet, milo, and wheat. Aviary diet should restrict the amount
of Sunflower and safflower seed.
Other foods can include apple, orange, almonds, peanuts, vegetables such as
broccoli, corn, peas and silverbeet. Plain Madeira
cake, and seeding grasses. Many will eat insects such as grubs and
mealworm larvae, pupa and beetles. Dry dog food can be offered.
Commercial Parrot pellets can make up part of a balanced
diet.
Nesting: A basic overview only. Dimensions
are typical / average and can vary widely, influenced by the owner's
preferences and the birds preferences. Parent bird's preferences can
also be influenced by the size and type of nest-box / log in which the
bird was hatched and reared. If space allows, offering a choice of
sizes and types of logs or nest-boxes, and placed in various locations
within the aviary, can allow the parent birds to make their own choice.
Once a pair has chosen a specific nest-box/log and been successful in
it, offer that one to them each breeding season. Try and keep that one
for their exclusive use. Once a pair has chosen its log or nest-box,
the other ones can generally be removed. If the "spare" boxes are to be
removed and moved to another flight, ensure the log / nest-box is
cleaned to ensure the receptacle has the minimal contamination of mites,
parasites and pathogens.
- Nesting months: Spring
onwards
- Log / Nest-box:
- Length
/ depth 600 - 800 mm (or approx. 24 - 32 inches)
- Log internal
diameter approx. 200 - 250 mm. (or approx. 8 - 10
inches)
- Nest-box internal dimensions approx. 180 - 250
mm square (or approx. 7.2 - 10 inches square)
- Diameter of
entrance
hole approx. 100 - 120 mm (or approx. 4 - 5 inches)
- Inspection hole (square or round)
100 mm
(or approx 4 inches)
- A removable top / lid can be a
useful access point for inspections and for cleaning.
- Location and height
of log / nest-box = high in the covered part of the aviary but not
too close to the roof to be affected by heat from the roof in the
summer months.
- Angle of log or nest box = Log or nest box can be
vertical or on an angle of up to 45 degrees.
- Nesting log / nest-box material:
Decomposed non-toxic saw dust, wood shavings or other suitable
material/s.
- Who incubates the egg/s:
Hen
/ cock / both share. Both birds may
share the incubation.
Timber nest-boxes generally require a
climbing structure attached inside the box below the entrance hole. Both
logs and nests need an entrance hole/opening about 100mm (about 4 inches) from the top. Many species of parrots like the entrance hole
to be just big enough to squeeze through.
More details on
parrot nestboxes/logs and a selection of
parrot nestbox/log photos
can be found on the "nests", "parrot nests"
and "parrot nestbox photos"
web pages. Click on "Up" then "Nests" then "parrot nests"
and "parrot nestbox photos" in
the navigation bars.
Breeding: Egg Colour
White. Clutch/s per year .. usually 1. Eggs per
nest 2 - 4. Incubation
approx. 24 days. Fledge approx. 6 - 8 weeks.
Independent approx. another 4 weeks but best to leave with parent
birds till 8 - 10 weeks.
After the young leave the nest, initially both parents look after the
young, but the hen soon ceases feeding and leaves the cock bird to feed
the young till about the 4th week. Generally safe to leave the
young with the parent birds, however if any aggression is shown, the
young should be immediately removed to another aviary.
Artificial incubation and hand
rearing or fostering will not be covered on this web site. It is
too complex and diverse in nature to be attempted here.
Health Issues: Refer to "Avian
Health Issues" web page for information and references.
- Worming and parasite control
and Quarantine requirements of new bird/s or sick bird/s are
considered to require veterinary advice and therefore not covered on
this web site. Refer "Avian Health Issues"
web option.
- Avian medicine is advancing
at a rapid pace. Keep updating your knowledge and skills.
General
References: Refer to references listed on "Book References"
web page.
Specific
References:
-
Australian
Aviculture
-
- Australian Birdkeeper
- ABK Vol 18 Issue 11. Oct-Nov 2005 Page 669-673 (Corellas &
Cockatoos of inland Australia)
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