Posts Tagged ‘Moluccan Cockatoo’

The Moluccan Cockatoo, also known as the Salmon-crested Cockatoo is endemic to eastern Indonesia.

It is a large white bird in the cockatoo family. It has a rather loud call, one of the loudest in the parrot world. It can be a very capable mimic when raised in captivity.

A healthy Moluccan Cockatoo can live to be 80 years or more. King Tut, a Moluccan Cockatoo at the San Diego Zoo lived to be 100 years.

A vulnerable species

The CITES conservation agreement, one of the largest of its kind in existence, classifies the Moluccan Cockatoo as a vulnerable species.

This means that it is illegal to trade in birds that have been caught in the wild.   Furthermore, trading of captive bred birds is also legal only with appropriate CITES certification. Despite these efforts at conservation, illegal trapping of the Moluccan Cockatoo for sale continues even today, and this is very unfortunate since it puts the species at a huge risk of survining in the wild.

The Moluccan Cockatoo cannot be imported into the USA any longer. They are, however, bred in captivity in the USA.

The Moluccan Cockatoo as a pet

The Moluccan Cockatoo is beautiful as well as trainable, and for this reason, people like to have them as pets. Trained bird shows often feature the Moluccan Cockatoo as well.

The Moluccan Cockatoo can be one of the most demanding birds to own as a pet. The Moluccan Cockatoo is very intelligent. They are quite big and need a sturdy cage or aviary to hold them. They require a lot of activity and the attention of their caregiver to remain healthy. Health or behavioral problems may arise if they are not provided the right environment and attention.

With all the effort, comes the joy of the Moluccan Cockatoo as well. Cuddly, social, and affectionate, they love to be held for long periods of time, something that one expect from a pet bird.

Their diet is made up of seeds, nut and fruit. Grown as a pet in captivity, a Moluccan Cockatoo needs a diet rich in protein (which they get in the wild by eating insects off the ground). Otherwise, they might become anemic.

Help online

There is excellent information online on what it mean to keep and breed Moluccan Cockatoos. There are videos online on everything ranging from feeding it, training it, to entertaining it. There are forums where owners can be in touch with others and exchange ideas and get their questions and concerns answered. There are also excellent books that may be indispensable for a Moluccan Cockatoo owner.