If you’re visiting the Parrot Garden (the bird part of the sanctuary) in the next little while and happen to find Seppi the cockatoo wearing a hard hat and holding a 127-point inspection list, there’s a very good reason. He wants to make sure his dream house is just right this time.

He thought it would be “just right” last time, too, when he took it upon himself to oversee the construction of the previous cockatoo house. Turns out Seppi was just the teensiest bit confused about the nature of the building. He had assumed the cockatoo house was being built only for him. "It’s an honest mistake," Seppi claims. "I always forget there are other cockatoos in the world." He’s determined to fix things this go-around and build something much bigger!

The cockatoos need separate living space from other parrots at the sanctuary. They produce a fine dander, sort of like talcum powder, that can cause allergies in other birds, macaws in particular. So the staffers at the Parrot Garden jumped into action to build a cockatoo house. Some months back they finished the job, and then realized the new home was a bit too small for all the cockatoos.

However, it’ll work out even better this way. The too-small cockatoo house will go to the cockatiels once the new building is finished. That way, the cockatiels will end up with a perfect sized indoor/outdoor home and Seppi will get his mansion after all. He’s even OK sharing the new digs with the other cockatoos this time. "As long as it comes with a jacuzzi!" he insists. (Psst, it’ll have a fountain. Think that will be close enough?)

Story by David Dickson
Photos by Sarah Ause

Come see the new buildings at the Parrot Garden yourself by visiting Best Friends!

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