However, if your cockatoo has a leg band, hopefully, it will help determine the exact age. Final thoughtsīy appearance or behavior, you cannot tell exactly how old a cockatoo is, but the above signs help approximate the age to some extent. So most likely, the date of birth mentioned on their leg rings is accurate. Once the cockatoo gets a few days old, leg bands cannot be put in their legs, and only clip-on rings can be put. Leg bands can only be put in cockatoos’ legs in the first few days. These details include the month of birth, gender, and breeding history.Īge estimation of cockatoos with leg bands is the most accurate way. You can go to the breeder’s website, enter the bird’s code, and find more details about the bird. Usually, a code is carved on these leg bands, which tells the exact year of the cockatoo’s birth. In some cases, there is detail about the breeder and a specific code for the bird. Professional breeders and pet stores place a band on their legs. Cockatoos’ age estimation by their leg bands However, they look active even in old age if raised in good care and given lots of love. Unfortunately, they also frequently get sick in old age, which is another reason they get slightly serious. Some cockatoos become quite serious, and some also get a bit aggressive. As they age beyond 6th year, they start showing a lack of interest in most things they once played with all day. They like to check out everyone and everything around them all the time. They are usually very silly, joyful, and active at a young age. Their feathers also get weak, and at very old age, they permanently lose some feathers (beyond 25 years).Ĭockatoos’ behavior changes with their age. But as they age, they lose the shiness and color in their feathers (beyond 15 years). They have complete feathers, and their feathers are also strong. Young cockatoos have very shiny and colorful feathers. In some cases, the edges of the beak also damage. The roughness of the beak also looks slightly whitish. With time the beaks of cockatoos get rough, and the color also gets darker (beyond 6 years). At very old age, they start losing feathers on their legs (beyond 25 years). The skin of their legs gets flaky the color also becomes darker with age. Their feet get darker and more uneven, and their toenails also overgrow. Captive Longevity Although typical longevities in the USA average 40 years, there are records of Goffin’s cockatoos living into their 60’s and 70’s, with individuals kept by European aviculturists reproducing until age 40. Young cockatoos have very smooth feet and legs, but as they age, their legs and feet become rough and fuzzy (beyond 6 years). Most experienced aviculturists provide Goffin’s cockatoos with approximately ¼ of a hard-boiled egg each week or so. With the increase in age, their iris color becomes lighter and lighter. They have dark-colored iris at a young age (below 1 year), but their iris color becomes lighter as they age (beyond 4 years). When they age beyond 15 years, their eyes start swelling from the underside area. These wrinkles become rough and deep with age. Wrinkles around eyeringsĪt a young age, the eyes of cockatoos are fresh and have no wrinkles, but as they start aging beyond 4th year, wrinkles start developing.

If a cockatoo has been raised in great care, he may not show many signs of aging, even in old age similarly, a young cockatoo raised in poor care might show signs of aging.Īnyways, the physical appearance and behavioral differences can still help identify its age to some extent. Their physical transformations also depend on the environment and diet. You can estimate the age of a cockatoo to some extent with its physical appearance, but you cannot identify its exact age. Physical transformations of cockatoos with age

Cockatoos’ age estimation by their leg bands.

Physical transformations of cockatoos with age.

Please let me know if you have any more questions. If you have any concerns, bring them in for an exam.Īgain, I'm sorry for your loss. Make sure they are acting normally, eating, having normal stool etc. They may be grieving for the loss of their 'friend'. I would watch your other birds very closely. If you don't know of an avian vet, you can search: This should be done as soon as possible so I would bring her in first thing in the AM. If you want to do this, she needs to be in a refrigerator (not a freezer). Sometimes you can tell by seeing something obvious, but sometimes samples need to be sent in (the vet would tell you what they find before samples are sent in). I know this is a very personal decision but it can be done in such a way that she can be returned to you. However, I would highly recommend that you consider having a necropsy (animal autopsy) done on her. Since your birds have been together so long it would be unlikely that your lory had something contagious that your other birds hadn't already been exposed to. It is never easy to lose a pet, but especially hard when unexpected. Hi, thanks for your question and for using JA.

Lifespan of a goffin cockatoo