Instructions
Touch the bird's feathers to see if they are powdered. Healthy cockatoos normally carry dander in their feathers to keep them soft and moist. Very powdery feathers are a sign of good health.
Look to see how fully covered your cockatoo is with its feathers. Cockatoos that are under distress may pick up the habit of plucking out their own feathers. Emotionally healthy cockatoos should have no reason to pluck.
Check your cockatoo for any lumps or unusual scratch markings on the surface of its body; such marks may be a sign of self-mutilation from irritability and stress. Healthy cockatoos have soft, smooth skin.
Take notice of your cockatoo's playful behavior. A mentally healthy cockatoo will look to play with its owner rather than screech about pain or a health concern.
See if your cockatoo exhibits strong social behavior with your peers, as it is sign of mental health. Cockatoos that are social will accept other people, while antisocial cockatoos may perceive others to be competition or a threat.
Find out if your cockatoo is overweight or too skinny. Every species of cockatoo has its ideal weight range. Larger cockatoo species are heavier set, but it's important to know if your bird is much fatter than usual for its species.