People usually start looking into Goffin’s cockatoos when they want a small-ish cockatoo with the big-cockatoo personality—clever, tactile, noisy at times, and intensely social. The decision matters, because this species can live for decades and can develop serious welfare problems if its daily needs aren’t met.
Below is a clear, practical picture of what a Goffin’s cockatoo (also called the Tanimbar corella) is like to live with: size and lifespan, noise, housing, diet, enrichment, training, and the health issues that most often catch people out.
Quick facts (at a glance)
- Scientific name: Cacatua goffiniana
- Adult size: commonly around 30–32 cm long (some sources report larger)1, 8
- Adult weight: often roughly 250–450 g, varying by sex, condition, and reference source1, 8
- Lifespan: commonly 40+ years with excellent care; some sources report 60+ years in captivity1, 8
- Noise: can be loud; calling and screeching is normal cockatoo behaviour4
- Native range: Tanimbar (Banda Sea) islands of Indonesia, not Australia1
Introduction to Goffin’s cockatoo
Goffin’s cockatoos are the smallest of the white cockatoos, but they don’t behave like “small birds”. They investigate everything with beak and feet, learn patterns quickly, and thrive on frequent interaction and change in their environment.
They are native to the Tanimbar Islands in Indonesia, where they move through forest and farmland, spending much of the day travelling, foraging, chewing, and staying in contact with other birds in the group.1
Characteristics and behaviour
A well-settled Goffin’s cockatoo is often curious, busy, and highly tuned to its surroundings. It will test objects, dismantle toys, and watch household routines with sharp attention. That same intelligence can turn inward if life becomes too small: repetitive behaviours, screaming, and feather-damaging behaviour are common outcomes of boredom, frustration, or chronic stress in parrots kept without enough enrichment and social contact.6, 7
Noise is part of the package. Calling is normal, especially at predictable times of day (morning, late afternoon), or when something changes in the environment. You can shape when and how often it happens, but you can’t train a cockatoo to be silent.4
Pros and cons of living with a Goffin’s cockatoo
Why people love them
- Engaging and bright: quick to learn routines, enjoy puzzles and foraging challenges.
- Strong social presence: many individuals seek frequent interaction and handling (on their terms).
- Compact for a cockatoo: smaller than many common cockatoo species, while still robust and athletic.
What tends to be hard
- Time and attention: they do best with daily out-of-cage time, training, and meaningful enrichment, not just “being nearby”.5, 6
- Noise and neighbour-proofing: normal calling can be a real issue in units, townhouses, and shared walls.4
- Chewing and destruction: beaks need work. If you don’t supply safe things to shred and chew, they will select your skirting boards, remotes, door frames, and power cords.
- Feather plucking isn’t “just a habit”: it can be linked to medical disease, nutrition, environment, and stress—often several at once—and it can be difficult to reverse once established.2, 3
- Long commitment: decades, not years, with significant costs for specialist avian veterinary care.
Housing: cage set-up and daily space
A Goffin’s cockatoo needs room to climb, flap, and move between perches without constantly brushing feathers against bars. Bigger is better, but the most important feature is safe, daily access to a larger “living area” outside the cage, with supervision.
Set the cage up as a working environment rather than a display:
- Natural perches of varied diameter to reduce pressure points on feet.
- Chewable and shreddable items (untreated branches, cardboard, paper, bird-safe wood) rotated regularly to prevent boredom.5, 7
- Foraging opportunities so food takes time and effort to obtain, rather than appearing in a bowl with nothing to do.5, 7
- Placement in the home where the bird can see normal household life without being stuck in constant traffic, draughts, or cooking fumes.4
Feeding: what “a good diet” looks like
Many pet parrots become overweight or nutritionally unbalanced on seed-heavy diets. Seeds and nuts can be useful training tools and enrichment, but they are easy to overdo.
A widely recommended approach for companion parrots is:
- Formulated pellets as the nutritional base
- Vegetables and some fruit daily for variety and micronutrients
- Seeds and nuts as smaller portions or training rewards rather than the core diet
- Fresh water available at all times
If you’re changing diets, do it gradually and monitor body weight. Sudden diet changes can lead to refusal and weight loss, especially in birds used to selective seed eating.
Training and socialisation
Training is less about tricks and more about smooth daily care: stepping onto a hand or perch, going back into the cage without drama, accepting gentle handling when needed, and staying settled during household routines.
Keep sessions short and frequent. Reward calm, repeatable behaviour. If a bird becomes nippy or over-aroused, reduce intensity: fewer cues, quieter environment, shorter sessions, then try again later.
Social needs are real. Many birds cope better with a compatible companion bird, but it’s not a guaranteed fix for behavioural problems. If you keep a single bird, you become the primary source of social contact, enrichment, and structure—every day.5, 7
Health: common issues and early warning signs
Feather-damaging behaviour (including feather plucking) is one of the most common and most misunderstood problems in pet parrots. It can be linked to medical causes (skin disease, parasites, organ disease, endocrine issues), nutritional problems, dry indoor air, lack of natural light cycles, and psychological stress or boredom.2, 3
Respiratory illness is another concern in household birds. Good ventilation matters, and so does avoiding fumes and aerosols—especially from non-stick cookware overheated, cigarette smoke, incense, air fresheners, and harsh cleaning products.4
Get an avian vet check promptly if you notice
- tail bobbing, open-mouth breathing, wheezing, or audible clicking
- a sudden change in droppings, appetite, or weight
- persistent feather breakage, bald patches, or skin irritation
- sleeping much more than usual, fluffed posture, or reduced activity
Grooming and maintenance
Routine care is mostly about setting the conditions for healthy feathers and skin: appropriate humidity, regular opportunities to bathe (mist, shallow dish, or shower-perch depending on the individual), and plenty of safe chewing and climbing options.
Be cautious with wing clipping. It can reduce flight accidents in some settings, but it can also increase falls, remove a major form of exercise, and contribute to frustration in an already intelligent, active bird. If it’s being considered, discuss it with an avian veterinarian who can weigh welfare, safety, and your home set-up.
Nails and beak generally maintain well when the bird has varied perches and chewable materials; trimming should be done carefully, ideally by an avian vet or experienced professional if you’re unsure.
Australia-specific note: availability and legalities
Goffin’s cockatoos are not native to Australia. Rules around keeping, moving, importing, and selling exotic birds vary by state and territory, and import into Australia is tightly controlled through federal biosecurity and environment legislation pathways.9, 10
If you’re in Australia and someone is offering a Goffin’s cockatoo, confirm paperwork and licensing requirements before money changes hands. If you’re outside Australia, check your own local laws and consider the ethics of sourcing and long-term welfare.
Final thoughts
A Goffin’s cockatoo can be a remarkable companion: observant, quick, and full of intricate, beak-led curiosity. It also asks a lot—space, structure, noise tolerance, and daily enrichment that’s planned, not improvised.
If you can reliably provide social time, safe chewing, foraging, and calm routines, you’ll often see the best version of the species: busy, steady, and deeply engaged with its world.
References
- SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment (United Parks & Resorts) – Goffin’s Cockatoo Facts and Information
- Merck Veterinary Manual (Professional) – Miscellaneous Diseases of Pet Birds (medical causes of feather plucking)
- Merck Veterinary Manual (Pet Owner) – Skin and Feather Disorders of Pet Birds
- RSPCA Australia – How to help your pet bird have a good life
- Agriculture Victoria (Animal Welfare Victoria) – Owning a bird
- RSPCA Knowledgebase – Keeping birds entertained (enrichment and behavioural problems)
- Merck Veterinary Manual – Table: Feather Loss (causes including nutrition, behaviour, medical factors)
- Encyclopedia of Parrots – Cacatua goffiniana (size, weight, lifespan overview)
- Australian Government (DAFF) – Importing your pet bird
- Australian Government (DAFF) – Importing live animals and reproductive material
Veterinary Advisor, Veterinarian London Area, United Kingdom