This Goffin's Cockatoo is a rescue bird.

I am in a group that helps to home unwanted birds. I was originally trying to adopt a Cockatoo that they thought was pinioned. She was a sad little thing. Comes to it that she would be better off with another lady that already had Cockatoos.

About 1 week later I get an email from one of the women on the group. She had a guy call her that had a Goffin's Cockatoo that he no longer wanted. "Whitey" was 14 yrs old and the guy just did not have the time to spend with him.

I called this gentlemen and talked to him for about 20 minutes about "Whitey". I told him I would be down to pick him up on Saturday, July 29th. We hung up. Then I remembered.... oh how big was this Goffin's cage?

I called him back. He said, no problem, it will fit in my Explorer. So Saturday morning finally got here... Off my partner and I went. One hour 40 minutes drive. We went in to meet "Whitey".

He was in a small cage that I, personally, would only use for a lovebird!!! I thought.... Yeah that cage will sure fit in my Explorer. He had an old sock and one measly toy to keep him company in this small cage. The gentlemen explained once again what all "Whitey" ate. And that was it.... We were off to "Whitey's" new life. We got him home.

First thing I did was go out and get him a very large cage! He took to his new cage during the day. But at night he wanted in his small cage that we now called his sleep cage. It took him 6 weeks to get used to sleeping in his large cage. He wants nothing to do with the small cage, except when it is warm here and he goes outside into the sunshine.

Once home and a bit settled, we noticed that he did not know his name. So it was changed. He is now Sydney!!! And he does know his name, it took him about 2 weeks.

He only ate seed when I got him. He now is "playing" with the pellets. He will eat mashed potatoes, a french fry every once in a while. He likes bread, pasta, peas and corn.

He has learned to play. He comes down on the living room floor with me every night. We play what we call the "WHOO" game. He will hold on tight to my fingers and I will throw my hand up in the air and say "whooooo" and he will throw out his wings and throws his head up in the air. And on the way down he will crouch and then up he goes again! Then he will jump off my hand and strut around the floor like a chicken. We call this the chicken dance.