Logo design by Jessica Niver. Thanks, Jessica!  
IN ALASKA:
Lost a bird? Found a bird?
Call (907) 351-2762
 
 Home Page
 Club Information
 Contact Us

 Adopt-A-Bird
 Bird Care
 Emergency Preparedness
 Volcano Preparedness
 How To...

 Donations

Calendar:

2025

TUE, MAY 6, 2025
Educational Meeting
7-9PM (Zoom)

SAT, MAY 17, 2025
"Reading Rendezvous" on the Loussac Library lawn 12-4pm

SAT, MAY 24, 2025
Board Meeting, 5-7PM (Zoom)

TUE, JUN 3, 2025
NO EDUCATIONAL MEETING UNTIL AUGUST 5

SAT, JUN 21, 2025
Board Meeting, 5-7PM (Zoom)

SAT, JUN 21, 2025
Bird Club Picnic, Abbott Park, 11AM-3PM
CLICK HERE

TUE, JUL 1, 2025
NO EDUCATIONAL MEETING UNTIL AUGUST 5

SAT, JUL 26, 2025
Board Meeting, 5-7PM

TUE, AUG 5, 2025
Educational Meeting
7-9PM

SAT, AUG 23, 2025
Board Meeting, 5-7PM (Zoom)

TUE, SEP 2, 2025
Educational Meeting
7-9PM (In-person and Zoom)

SAT, SEP 27, 2025
Board Meeting, 5-7PM (Zoom)

TUE, OCT 7, 2025
Educational Meeting
7-9PM (Zoom)

SAT, OCT 25, 2025
Board Meeting, 5-7PM (Zoom)

TUE, NOV 4, 2025
Educational Meeting
7-9PM (Zoom)

SAT, NOV 22, 2025
Board Meeting, 5-7PM (Zoom)

TUE, DEC 2, 2025
Holiday Potluck AND Board Elections
(In-person and Zoom)

SAT, DEC 27, 2025
Board Meeting, 5-7PM (Zoom)

2026

TUE, JAN 6, 2026
Educational Meeting
(Zoom)7-9PM

SAT, JAN 24, 2026
Board Meeting, 5-7PM (Zoom)

TUE, FEB 3, 2026
Educational Meeting
7-9PM (Zoom)

SAT, FEB 21, 2026
Board Meeting, 5-7PM (Zoom)

TUE, MAR 3, 2026
Educational Meeting
7-9PM (In-person and Zoom)

SAT, MAR 28, 2026
Board Meeting, 5-7PM (Zoom)

TUE, APR 7, 2026
Educational Meeting
7-9PM (Zoom)

SAT, APR 25, 2026
Board Meeting, 5-7PM (Zoom)

TUE, MAY 5, 2026
Educational Meeting
7-9PM (Zoom)

SAT, MAY 23, 2026
Board Meeting, 5-7PM (Zoom)

TUE, JUN 2, 2026
NO EDUCATIONAL MEETING UNTIL AUGUST 4

SAT, JUN 27, 2026
Board Meeting, 5-7PM (Zoom)


 

Bird of the Month: May 2007
Casper
Archive

By Julie Forsyth

Hi there. I'm Casper, the Greater Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo.

I came to my current owner's house due to being at the right place at the right time. I was at a rescue person's home for a while, and then she adopted me out to a new owner. I was there for about5 six months or so, but the next door neighbors said I was too loud and had to go. You see, I like to scream. I really do -- a lot!

Julie, my "next new owner" was visiting the rescue person's house (where I had been returned) and she asked Julie if she would take care of me. Julie said sure. I'm not sure she knew what she was getting herself into, but it ended up working out fine.

Julie had a King size cage all ready for me and everything. Julie had to put a new chain with a lock on the cage door and uses a key to open it, as I can open (figure out or break) just about anything less than that! Julie lets me play outside my cage a lot, but I think I should be allowed to come and go as I wish.

I do talk, too. I can say "Casper!", "step up", "bye bye", and some other words...and of course I'm real good at Screaming.

I don't like to be alone (which is probably why I started screaming in the first place). When Julie is out of my sight I'll scream. Sometimes I scream just for the fun of it. I do like to laugh too or talk to myself. I sound a lot like a person when I laugh.

I'll let Julie trim my toe nails, my beak, and my wings without any towels. Just a lap will do. I can be a happy bird but when I'm mad, you had better leave me alone or I'll try to bite you. Julie can tell the difference though, so I don't bite her very much.

Most Cockatoos are from Australia and some are from the South Pacific. I was born in Oregon though. I'm about 20" long with white feathers and a yellow crest on my head and a blackish beak. All Cockatoos have a bald spot on their head, covered by a crest of feathers. They have a down powder beneath their feathers which provides them with insulation to keep them warm. The down also sheds a thick powder, which the birds use to waterproof and clean their outer feathers. Cockatoos are the only parrots to have powder down.

We are very intelligent birds, and can be quite comical. The life cycle of a Cockatoo is similar to that of humans. We go through infancy, childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, middle age, and old age. We can be trained to talk, though our voice is much higher pitched than that of other parrots.

I weigh about 800 grams, which makes me one of the larger types of parrot. I can live up 100 years and I (Casper) am only about 15 years old now, so Julie and I should be together for a long time. Lucky Julie!

Cockatoos can make excellent pets, but they can also be a hand full and are not recommended for everyone.

[Scream!] "BYE BYE!" [Scream!]

 

 

The Alaska Bird Club • P.O. Box 101825 • Anchorage AK 99510
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alaskabirdclub/
Email: akbirdclub@yahoo.com
Voice mail: (907) 868-9070