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. When raised and trained in captivity, the Moluccan Cockatoo can be a very capable mimic.
The Moluccan Cockatoo has a long life span, and a healthy bird can live to be 80 years or more. A famous Moluccan Cockatoo at the San Diego zoo called King Tut lived over 100 years.
A vulnerable species
The Moluccan Cockatoo is classified as a vulnerable species in CITES, one of the largest conservation agreements in existence.
It is illegal to trade in Moluccan Cockatoos 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.
However, they are also one of the most demanding parrots to keep 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.
Clearly, it is not all pain and work with the Moluccan Cockatoo! They are a great source of joy as well. They are very social, quite cuddly and affectionate.
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.
