Goffin's Cockatoo

This page is educational reference material for preparing questions. A licensed veterinarian examines the animal, makes the diagnosis, and sets the treatment.

The small cockatoo that opens latches

Goffin's cockatoos, also called Tanimbar cockatoos, are Cacatua goffiniana. Adults are about 12 to 13 inches. They usually last 30 to 40 years, noise is moderate to high for a cockatoo, and care is intermediate to advanced. Small does not mean budgie. They want contact, they chew, and they figure out how to leave a cage that was sold as escape-proof.

A fair cage is at least 24 by 24 by 36 inches, with locks a parrot cannot flip, and with hours outside it. Pellets, vegetables, fruit, and limited nuts are the diet. They are busy enough to need foraging, not a full bowl and a mirror. Talking is moderate. Volume still matters in an apartment. Wild Goffin's come from a small island group and were hit by trade. Buy captive-bred.

Clever is a care requirement

Rotate toys. Close doors. Assume the bird will test the latch the day you get comfortable. An avian vet from AAV is the medical plan. Plucking and a sudden silence are not personality. Use the quiet bird page and a clinic.

Goffin's cockatoo questions

Are Goffin's cockatoos easier than Moluccans?

They are smaller and care is intermediate to advanced rather than the top expert rank. They are still cockatoos: loud for the size, needy, and capable of screaming you out of an apartment.

How long do they live?

About 30 to 40 years. Shorter than an umbrella or a Moluccan, and still a huge span for a pet bird.

Do they escape cages?

Often. Goffin's are famous problem-solvers. Latches that a cockatiel cannot open are a hobby for this species. Lock the cage.