The intelligent Ducorps Cockatoo (cacatua ducorpsii), originates from the Solomon Islands in the Pacific.

.

A brief history:

The Solomon Islands gained self-government from the UK in 1976 and total independence two years later, after 75 years of being controlled by the UK. The main current issues of concern in the Solomon Islands today include government deficits (no money), deforestation, soil erosion, malaria control, dead or dying coral reefs (in the surrounding waters). The economy is near collapse due to years of fighting between rivals islanders. Deforestation is a major issue. It is thought that the forests of the Solomon Islands will disappear within a generation. This mainly due to logging the forests for timber and for plantations such as coconut. One of the main importers of the Solomon Islands timber is Japan

.

Tikopia and Anuta form part of the Solomon Islands, which is a country of 80 islands 1,400 miles northeast of Sydney, Australia. These two islands were recently hit by hurricane Zoe. It is not yet known what long term damage to flora and fauna has been done due to this.

Bird Facts

There are between 190 and 138 known bird species on the Solomon Islands.

46 endemic species; plus 25 shared with Bougainville and Buka (other nearby islands governed by Papua New Guinea).

Deforestation

Forest and woodland account for approximately 88% of all land use in the Solomon Islands.
I have found the following (very different) opinions on the issue of deforestation in the Solomon Islands. The first from an official Government source, the second from an environmental source:
1. Currently, only 12% of the country's natural forest is suitable for being logged. The rate of replanting is such that it is now at par with the rate of harvesting natural forests. It is projected that reafforestation would exceed harvesting in the next five years
2. Concern has been expressed about sustainability of timber resources in the country and the effect of harvesting of timber resources on the environment and the natural heritage of the country.
Which one do you believe to be true?

Exports

Exports of Ducorps Cockatoos from the Solomon Islands have been few, and it is still relatively uncommon in the UK today as an aviary bird
.  
A quota of approximately 300 birds were imported from the Solomon Islands during the mid 1990's, directly to the UK. Up until this point in time, and since then, there has been little or no importation of wild birds at all into the UK direct.

Export restrictions have been changed fairly recently, and some figures have yet to be acquired. However, for the year 2000 there have been reported imports from the Solomon Islands of 50 birds by Slovenia, 40 by Singapore and 30 by Mexico. Those reported by Mexico and Slovenia were apparently captive bred while Singapore reported theirs as wild-caught.

The government suspended processing of export permits for the Ducorps in 1994, thereby effectively disallowing exports. When exports of Ducorps were allowed, an annual quota of 1,200 was permitted (this figure was based on previous years exports and without reference to wild natural stocks).

Exports have resumed last year but remain very low due to restrictions in transit country posts overseas. Wild populations are unknown but thought to be high (government source), as such the annual export quota is thought to be below what can be ‘sustainable takes’ from the wild.Hopefully, because of restrictions on exporting wild caught birds from the Solomon Islands, they will not become ‘critically endangered', thus not falling into the same trap as the Moluccan Cockatoo and other cockatoos now on CITES Appendix1. The Ducorps is categorized as an Appendix 2 species.
Unfortunately, with deforestation now becoming more of a threat than ever, who is to say what will happen to these birds in the future.

Description

The Ducorps is a very elegant, graceful cockatoo. Size approximately 12-13 inches with the male being slightly larger than the female. Contrary to other reports, visual sexing IS possible. The females upon reaching the age of 2-3 years become distinct because the eye colour changes to brownish/red, whereas the male retains a very dark eye colour. This is the case in quite a few other cockatoo species, but not all.

They are predominantly white, with yellow under the wings and tail. Pink under the helmet crest feathers, and under the head and upper chest feathers. With a blue head colour underneath. This head colour is very apparent when the birds are very young, before the feathers appear and hide it. The most striking feature of this cockatoo is the vivid blue eye ring, making them visually very attractive. The beak is gray horn coloured. They are undoubtedly very appealing.

We have kept this cockatoo for the last 8 years, and they have produced young for the last 6 years, although not without heartache along the way. Our adult Ducorps are quiet compared to other cockatoos. They are relatively shy when encountering strangers. They spend a lot of time in the next box, even roosting in there. They are not particularly great chewers, except when coming into the breeding season, when they do become livelier.

Diet

Their diet consists of fresh vegetables such as sweetcorn and broccoli, soaked sunflowers, soaked dried pulse and veg mix, walnuts and a little very good parrot mix. They are offered a great variety, but will only take their favourites, again except during the breeding season. They will only very rarely accept fruit. They do receive a vitamin supplement and calcium supplement throughout the year.

Their natural diet in the wild is thought to be corn and grain, fruit and sweet potatoes.

Hand Reared

If hand reared, the chicks can be weaned at approximately 18 weeks. There is a difference between chicks being weaned in that they will eat on their own, and being totally weaned whereby being totally independent. Ducorps usually ‘cry’ and ‘whine’ for food and attention long after this time, more than I have ever encountered in other cockatoos, however to my mind this is not a bird ‘trying it on’ but a bird that is not fully weaned and probably not ready to be sold onThey do, if hand reared, make wonderful companions.

They have a very good ability to mimic and are very comical. Although they are not over hyper-active like some cockatoos, such as (in my opinion) the Goffins.

However as with many other cockatoos there is a complete shortage of parent reared Ducorps.

Maybe it is because they are so uncommon that when any are bred, they are taken for hand rearing for fear of losing them. This could then cause mental trauma for the adult birds in future years.

Or maybe it is because if sold as pets, they are very sought after and bring a high price. Either way it is a sad situation.

Breeding

They normally lay two eggs, but generally only produce one chick (if left to parent rear). We do not artificially incubate the eggs. Preferring to let the birds be as natural as possible. It is quite probable that in the wild they only produce one chick to fledging at any one time. Their incubation period is approximately 28 days, although it could be 1 or 2 days shorter, as it is possible that we do not hear the chick initially on hatching. The incubation is shared by both the male and the female, usually the female sits at night, the male during the day.

Disease

Many of the original imported birds from the 1990’s have since died for many, various reasons. Some not acclimatised to our weather, some incorrectly paired and killed (by the males), quite a few from PBFD (Psittacine Beak & Feather Disease). From which source they contracted this disease is not clear, some wild flocks of cockatoos from Australia and Indonesia are said to carry the virus (it has apparently been proven, although I have not been able to find any information about this). Making the assumption then, that wild flocks of Ducorps from the Solomon Islands carry the virus also. As far as I know this has not been confirmed either way.

The disease may have in fact been contracted from capture onwards. The stress of being caught, transported to another country and climate, quarantine, doses of anti-biotics, strange diet etc could all contribute to these birds contracting this virus.It is a fact that adult birds can shake off the PBFD virus easier than young birds. They have built up a stronger immune system. Therefore, we can only assume that the Ducorps which died from PBFD were perhaps the younger ones. Adult birds tested and found positive for PBFD can be tested 90 days later and found negative. So although actually having come in to contact with the virus, they will not actually show any signs and probably live out a normal life span. Although it is not known whether these birds can still be carriers of the virus.

The virus can survive for up to three years on feather dust hiding in crevices on cages, doorframes, aviaries etc. This fact then making it very possible that the Ducorps mentioned actually did come into contact with the virus after capture.
Tests done on a consignment of Lovebirds who had tested positive for PBFD initially, were re-tested after 90 days, found to be negative, then subsequently went on to breed and the offspring tested showed no signs of the virus at all. So a bird with PBFD does not necessarily carry a death sentence with it.

The future

Having said that Ducorps make good pets if hand reared, we should not ever get to the stage where we are producing too many chicks, supply outdoing demand, as has happened with other cockatoos. They inevitably ending up being passed around from home to home, making poor pets for most, except the first owners. Cockatoos do not easily adapt to change. They are to me, similar to children spending most of their young lives in foster homes. Anyone considering purchasing a cockatoo as a pet, should give this very serious thought.

Rocco above bred by CKC Birds

Breeders need to take responsibility for their actions. The individual breeder producing one or two hand reared chicks a year is maybe acceptable, if parent rearing is not an option; but mass production by breeders artificially incubating eggs to encourage further laying should not be acceptable in the 21st century. Anyone breeding this cockatoo should let the adult birds at least attempt to parent rear their young. As we are seeing now, parent reared cockatoos are more and more sought after, and generally if we are to keep them in captivity at all, (in my opinion) they should be aviary birds, mixing with their own, able to fly and feel the sun on their backs. Not kept in a small cage and taken to the supermarket with a harness strapped to their backs.

However, we never seem to get it right. As human beings we have many failings, one of them seems to be our intention to destroy all that is good about our planet.

©
With thanks to:
John Caldwell WCMC Keith Dolman & Moses Biliki, (Director) Dept of Forestry, Environment & Conservation Solomon Islands Avian Biotech International

Photo of Tia by Debi Wakefield 2007

This article was published in the September 2002 issue of the UK Parrot Society Magazine and is copyrighted.