Moluccan Cockatoo - Cacatua moluccaensis
Habitat:
Found in the rainforest, spends most of its day in the canopy/emergent layer.
Range:
Southern Moluccan Islands and Indonesian Islands
Activity Cycle:
Diurnal
Features:
The plumage is overall a pale salmon-pink. The under feathers of the backward-curving crest are a deep salmon-pink. The undersides of flight feathers are washed with pink and the tail feathers with a yellow orange. The periophthalmic ring (bare area around the eye) is tinged with blue. The eye is dark brown in the female and black in the male. One of the largest white cockatoos, the Moluccan is 21 inches in length.
Size:
They are about 19-20 inches tall and weigh about 2 pounds.
Social Structure:
Live in flocks and are extremely social birds
Life Expectancy:
Moluccan Cockatoos can live up to 80 years in captivity.
Diet:
Seeds, nuts, fruits, berries, and possibly insects and their larvae. They are considered a pest in coconut plantations as they feed on immature coconuts.
Reproduction:
Female cockatoos nest in a cavity and lay up to 7 elliptical eggs. Both parents brood, sometimes together. Incubation lasts for 29 days.
Status:
Listed on CITES Appendix I in October 1989. In Indonesia they are considered a pest and a valuable export. They are listed with IUCN as "vulnerable", and as "threatened" with The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Interesting Facts:
- Typical of the family, Moluccan Cockatoos have an erectile crest. It is raised after alighting and when alarmed or excited.
- Also characteristic of the family is the water repellency of the feathers created by a covering of powder down feathers.
- Moluccan cockatoos are known for their ear splitting yells. When cornered or aroused, they emit a hissing note.
- They prefer to bathe by fluttering among wet foliage in the treetops or during rain showers by hanging upside-down from their perches.
Socialize
