Yesterday I reviewed and even learned a little about the Australian king parrot and for today I'll review another bird, this is one of the funniest looking birds to me and it's mostly because of the hairstyles (I mean head feather style, because birds have feathers not hair).
This is the Umbrella Cockatoos, and look how fun they can be. I'm starting to envy bird owners. But I did a little research on the crest of the Cockatoos and realized it's not just there as a hairstyles, there's an actual use for it.
When Umbrella Cockatoos elevate their crest, they send a signal to other birds in close proximity. When an Umbrella Cockatoo's crest rises as if it's startled by something, it means that the bird may be showing interest in something or may be trying to appear larger than it is. This is because other birds that see their white fan shaped crest will typically think twice about coming any closer to something that looks dangerous. So it's used more as a deceptive mechanism.
If you see Umbrella Cockatoo again later with its crest flush against the head, it indicates a completely opposite mood, it's either calm or possibly a sign of submission, depending on any other activity happening nearby.
But I got a bit confused with it when I also learned that, the same display of the crest can convey two different meanings based on the circumstance. If the crest is elevated, the Umbrella Cockatoo may be excited or angry, and you should probably assess the surrounding elements to determine which it is.
People who keep Umbrella Cockatoos as household pets most likely are completely unaware of how these birds are giving them daily visual signals that perfectly indicates the bird's mood at the moment. The crest of the bird will remain positioned throughout the day based upon the bird's current emotional state, so it's not an ornamental appendage.
I tried to imagine what it would be like if we people also displayed our moods in such a visual manner that any emotional shift was openly disclosed for all to see. There would be no secrets to hide. It would be like a lie detector machine constantly going off. Honesty will not be talked about anymore, everybody will know when you're lying or telling the truth.
