Latin name: Cacatua moluccensis

 

Protected and listed in Annex I of the Washington Convention.

 

Threatened with extinction in its habitat as it is a victim of considerable trafficking for its beauty and intelligence.

 

Even when not erect, its crest is clearly visible with its pinkish-red colour.

 

Height: approximately 55 cm

Weight: approximately 900g

Colour: White plumage tinted with more or less intense salmon-pink.

 

Large, long, and reddish-pink crest.

 

Powerful, large, black beak.

 

Orange-yellow underside of the tail

 

No sexual dimorphism.

 

In addition to its beauty and intelligence, the main characteristics of this bird are its voice and the strength of its beak. In fact, its very powerful screams are generally heard in the morning and evening, which helps identify it very easily in the wild. Even when born in captivity, the salmon-crested cockatoo needs to work its beak with the hardest of wood. It can be a very destructive bird, as it is strong enough to break open a coconut to drink its milk!

 

In captivity, the formation of couples is difficult because the male can kill the female if she is not ready to mate (while in the wild, she can flee). Despite this, in their natural habitat (the Maluku Islands), they are faithful couples.

 

As with the majority of cockatoos, their feathers produce a fine whitish powder which is spread everywhere.

 

Despite its height, it has a remarkable ability to fly, even in tight spaces.

 

Although it enjoys a high level of legal protection, this parrot is subjected to considerable trafficking especially in the local and Asian market. Observations in the wild are nearly inexistent and the exact number of wild specimens is unknown but the possibility of extinction in the medium term is worrisome.

 

The salmon-crested cockatoo lives in isolation, making the species and its habitat sensitive to the slightest of environmental, economic, or demographic pressure.

 

They often live in groups in wooded zones at medium altitudes.

The map below is currently available only in French. An English version will soon be made available.