About Moluccan Cockatoos

The moluccan cockatoo, also known as the salmon-crested or pink-crested cockatoo, is a large and intelligent member of the parrot family. They're highly sought-after as pets, but are not necessarily a good pet for those without much parrot-keeping experience. They can live for up to 65 years, so you need to be committed to having a pet for life.

  1. Natural Habitat

    • Moluccan cockatoos are endemic to the island of Seram in the Indonesian archipelago. Although they've also been found on the surrounding islands of Haruku, Ambon and Saparua, Seram is the only place you'll find breeding populations. The species is listed as endangered by the convention on international trade in endangered species (CITES), so the sale of wild-caught birds is against the law. Unfortunately, there is still a lot of trade in illegally caught moluccan cockatoos.

    Physical Characteristics

    • Moluccan cockatoos have white feathers with a slightly pink hue. They have a retractable crest that hides bright pinky orange feathers, hence the alternate name of salmon-crested cockatoo. They're the largest of all white cockatoo species, with an average wingspan of 20 inches and an average weight of around 2 pounds. The only difference between males and females is that adult males have black eyes, whereas adult females' eyes are dark brown or very slightly red.

    Diet

    • In their natural habitat, moluccan cockatoos would eat a diet consisting of nuts, seeds, berries, insects, larvae, young coconuts and fruits such as papaya and durian. Pets will normally eat a parrot mix as their main source of food, which should contain a balanced mixture of nuts, seeds, dried fruit and dried vegetables. This should be supplemented with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. They're very dextrous eaters, as they can hold their food with one foot and break off pieces to eat with their other foot.

    Behavior

    • In the wild, moluccan cockatoos live in small flocks of around 20 birds. They're peaceful, but are considered pests by natives, as they'll happily eat crops of unripe coconuts. As pets, they're intelligent and subsequently quite needy. They require plenty of physical and emotional stimulation, to keep them happy and healthy. They're very affectionate and love to snuggle, but too much attention as a young bird can cause them to become aggressive or territorial over one person, especially if the bird was hand-reared rather than raised by parents.