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Story: Introduced land birds

Chico the cockatoo

Audio file

Although there is now a population of wild sulphur-crested cockatoos, they were originally brought to New Zealand as caged birds and some, such as Chico, are tethered pets. Chico perched on owner Robert Nelson’s shoulder while he cycled around Lower Hutt and Petone. His owner taught him English phrases such as ‘Chico wants a scratch, scratch, scratch’.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Dominion Post Collection (PA-Group-00685)

Reference: EP/1986/1831/29A

by Stuart Ramson

Sound file from the Department of Conservation

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Christina Troup, Introduced land birds – Cockatoos and rosellas, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/natural-sounds/17143/chico-the-cockatoo (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Christina Troup, published 1 March 2009.