Cockatoos have been known to be the nicest of pets when it comes to parrots.  They are larger white birds for the most part that can range in size between 12 to 15 inches, or 31 to 38 centimeters.  There colors can range from white, pink, and even to black, all with a crest that is usually pink or yellow.  They can live for a very long time, but I am not certain exactly how long.  These birds are found in Austrailia in rainforests and fields.

Cockatoos over the years have gotten the reputation for being the nicest pet parrot around.  This is a pretty accurate reputation for most.  Cockatoos have a very friendly and active personality about them.  They love being played with and learn to love their owners quickly.  Unlike the African Grey's reputation to become attached to only one, cockatoos can love many people.  Cockatoos rarely get in bad moods, and when they do they don't often bite unless they feel they are being threatened.  When a cockatoo is in a foul mood it is best to leave them to themselves.  When a cockatoo is sleeping they always need to be kept to themsleves as well, or else they will wake up cranky.  All aorund, cockatoos are great parrots to keep as pets, and they are friendly to everyone.

Like many other animals and even birds, there are many different species of cockatoos, and they greatly vary in location, size, and color.  A few different kinds of cockatoos for example are the Major Mithcell's cockatoo, which is one of the larger more rare birds.  The Major Mitchell's cockatoo is large and all white except for the crest, which is red, than yellow, and then red again.  Another example is the yellow crested cockatoo shown above.  They are the most common in captivity.  To the left there is a picture of a red tailed black cockatoo.  All black cockatoos are very rare at the moment, and are hard to find in captivity.  The other two main captively bread cockatoos are the Goffins cockatoo, which is relatively small, and the Umbrella cockatoo.  There are many other kinds of cockatoos, and these are just some, many are in your local pet store, and many are near extinction, but they are out there.

Cockatoos are only found in Austrailia, mostly towards the Eastern side.  Cockatoos like Yellow-Crested Cockatoos are very common in villages and towns in Australia, and are almost as common as a crow in the United States.  They enjoy hanging around trees in neighborhoods, and on farms!  Another interesting thing about cockatoos is that only two to five eggs are laid at a time.  When the eggs are laid both parents incubate them for about a month!  Lastly, since it is pretty hard to determine male or female until a later age, males are known to have darker rings around the eyes than females.