Cockatoos are highly intelligent, long-lived parrots that suffer profoundly in inadequate captive conditions, with feather-destructive disorder affecting a high proportion of pet birds.
Cockatoos are among the most cognitively demanding pets in existence. Their social complexity, intelligence, and physical activity needs cannot be adequately met in typical home environments. Feather-destructive disorder, in which birds pluck and chew their own feathers, is associated with chronic psychological stress, boredom, and inadequate social contact. Even birds with good basic care often develop this condition. Loud vocalizations in captive cockatoos are often distress calls. Breeding farms produce birds that face poor welfare from hatching. Second and third owners are common as birds outlive owners or owners cannot manage their demands. Rescue organizations are overwhelmed with surrendered cockatoos.