Last weekend I picked up another cockatoo to add to our menagerie of pets.  His name is Niko and he is an umbrella cockatoo.  He’s about three years old.  Below is a photo of him:

From Niko – November 2009

I think we’re pretty well insane for doing this, but oh well.  We’re learning more and more about how demanding and complicated these beautiful birds can be.  Niko seems to be a very good bird so far but we are still getting acquainted.  He’s nipped some of us a few times, and he’s a little scary at times because he’s so big in comparison to our Goffin’s cockatoo, Frosty.  Unlike Frosty, he can say several things, including “I love you,” “Pretty, pretty bird,” and more.  We worried about how well he would get along with Frosty because both of them have been “only birds” ’til now.  So far they are doing pretty well together, sometimes spending time grooming each other.  Niko also can do some pretty wild and crazy antics just like you see in some YouTube videos like this one.  He also enjoys chasing after our golden retriever, Champ.

Umbrella cockatoos live at least 80 years, so this is a major, lifetime commitment.  Like I said, we’re probably crazy to do this, but so far it is working out.