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Cockatoos

Wild Sulphur-crested Cockatoos have become a nuisance by causing severe damage to homes and property. There are a number of reasons for this, including:

  • Hand-fed Cockatoos simply get bored when they don’t need to forage for their natural foods, so they begin to ‘chew’ on homes and property
  • Cockatoos, expecting to be fed by humans, become aggressive and pester people for food when they are hungry
  • Cockatoos are opening rubbish bins to forage for more food and spreading litter
  • Feeding Cockatoos is increasing their population numbers

Feeding cockatoos

While human food will make Cockatoos sick and may kill them, wild birdseed mix encourages Cockatoos, King Parrots, and other wildlife to become dependent on humans for their survival and may cause nutrient deficiencies. Birds need to teach their young how to forage for a wide variety of natural foods. Feeding also allows for the easy spread of disease particularly from bird to bird (such as Psittacine Beak & Feather Disease). The other big problem with feeding cockatoos is that it encourages pests such as mice, rats and introduced bird species, as well as predators such as feral cats and foxes. The very best thing you can do for our Australian wildlife is to not feed them!

Tips for Home-owners

  • Do not feed the Cockatoos, King Parrots or any other wildlife
  • Do not overfill your rubbish bin
  • Investigate the most appropriate bird exclusion products for your home such as:
  • o The installation of bird wire in strategic areas (such as balcony railings)
  • o Using screens to protect soft timber - consider the use of metal sheeting, or hanging netting or shadecloth from the eaves on rollers.
  • o Using ‘rolling perches’ (black poly-piping) to discourage Cockatoos from landing on light fittings, aerials, wiring and other fixtures.
  • o As Cockatoos tend to land on the high points of a house, such as roof peaks, consider the installation of commercially available “shock-perches” in these locations (these do not harm the birds)
  • All native wildlife in Victoria is protected under the Wildlife Act 1975 and it is an offence to injure or kill them. The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) is responsible for regulation of the conduct of persons engaged in activities concerning or related to wildlife.
  • The responsibility for managing wildlife on a property falls on the relevant landowner/ manager, but the landowner/ manager must apply for authorisation from DELWP to undertake activities concerning or related to the wildlife.


For more information visit the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning website

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