Corella Long Billed, Western behavior

The Long-billed, or Slender-billed Corella is an interesting Cockatoo who lives both in the wild and in captivity throughout Australia. It consists of two subspecies: the Eastern and Western Long-billed Corellas. Western Long-billed Corellas make darling aviary birds and are known by the scientific name of Cacatua tenuirostris pastinator.

Western Long-billed Corellas are generally found near watercourses in grassy areas or open woody areas. They are highly social, gregarious birds and gather at feeding sites in flocks of hundreds of birds! Often, Long-billed Corellas will associate with the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. While feeding, one bird will remain in a tree and keep watch while the others feed. They only feed during the cooler hours of the day, preferring to rest at midday in shade. Western Long-billed Corellas, when disturbed, will shriek loudly while taking wing. They feed mostly on roots and onion grass supplemented with all sorts of seeds, vegetation and fruits in addition to insects. From July to November, Western Long-billed Corellas breed, making their nests in hollow treetops or branches. They have been observed making burrows in soft dirt banks when they cannot find a suitable tree. Both the male and female Long-billed Corellas tend to the young and sit on the eggs! In captivity, the Western Long-billed Corella is noisy and social and will thrive in a four by two by two-meter aviary with a sheltered section and safe from frost. Although Western Long-billed Corellas get along well with other like-sized birds, they do get aggressive around breeding time. Because their bills are used to dig wild roots, they must have an aviary with a cement floor, and will be very destructive to wood because they love to chew. When hand-reared, Western Long-billed Corellas bond very strongly with their owner and learn to talk quickly. They live more than 50 years!