KEEP & BREEDING THE MOLUCCAN COCKATOO

The Moluccan cockatoo, Cacatua moluccensis, is one of the most striking members of the cockatoo family, both in appearance and intelligence. This is the largest of the white cockatoos, measuring up to 52 centimeters (20.8 inches) in length and commonly weighing up to 1000 grams (35 ounces) in body weight (normal range of between 1100/780 grams – 38.5/27.3 ounces). As with all members of the white cockatoo genus of Cacatua, the Moluccan cockatoo has a moveable crest upon the crown of the head, white powder-down on the feathers and is sexually dimorphic by iris coloration. The most distinctive features of the Moluccan cockatoo, when compared to the other members of the same genus, are its large size and bright salmon-pink coloration of the head-crest feathers.

The Moluccan cockatoo is endemic to the Moluccas island group (nowadays renamed the Maluku island group) in Indonesia. It has been recorded from the islands of Ceram, Saparua, Haruku and Ambon. Preferred habitat is lowland forest up to 1,000 meters (3,300 feet). The highest population densities occur in primary forest, but the species is also found at lower density in secondary forest. This species is clearly endangered in the wild, with the principle threats against the wild population being habitat disturbance and illegal trade in wild birds. The Moluccan cockatoo is listed upon Appendix 1 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) that restricts international trade in this species, but surprisingly the species is not well-protected within Indonesia where a local trade continues to supply the internal pet market.

In captivity the Moluccan cockatoo has been a popular avicultural subject for many decades, but the past history of captive breeding success has been sporadic and inconsistent. In the last decade of the 20th century however, many breeding centers established consistent breeding and a new wave of young captive bred and hand-raised birds became available to the pet market.

Aviaries for Moluccan cockatoos should reflect the species’ need for security and seclusion, while also being stoutly constructed to withstand the species’ strong bill and with sufficient flying space to allow exercise and to ensure that potential mate-aggression can be avoided. At Loro Parque, in the Canary Islands, when the new breeding area was being built in 1996, I designed a series of aviaries for the larger members of the white cockatoo family. They measured 12 meters (39.6 feet) in length by 2.5 meters (8.25 feet) in height and 1.5 meters (4.95 feet) in width. The aviaries were designed to be long and thin to allow a 12 meters (39.6 feet) flying distance from one end to the other, but the narrow width meant that adult birds could not turn in flight. This meant that a cock bird chasing the hen would have to fly the length of the cage and land before turning, slowing down the chasing action. In the case of males that appeared to be getting very excited in the early breeding season, we would trim a few flight feathers from each of the wings. This would give the hen bird a slight, but significant, flying advantage. After flying one or two lengths of the aviary the cock bird would begin to tire much sooner than the hen.

There are many cases of Moluccan cockatoos eating a restricted diet of their own choosing. My experience with more than 200 individuals has shown that most birds can be encouraged to eat a balanced diet, particularly if the food is divided into more than one feeding period per day. Ideally a morning feeding period should provide the bird with a varied salad mixture that includes items such as diced apple, pear, orange, alfalfa, carrot, banana, beet root, papaya, tomato and other seasonal fruits. Also, I would recommend that the owner use the morning feeding period to encourage the bird to eat a commercial dietary pellet, such as one of the good quality products provided by companies such as Pretty Bird, Kaytee or Hagen. In the afternoon, a mixture of dry seeds, nuts and cooked beans can be given. More of the dietary pellet can be offered with the afternoon mixture if the bird has finished the food offered during the morning. With patience on the part of the owner, most birds can be encouraged to experiment and eat a wide variety of foods.

As one of the most intelligent psittacines kept in captivity, the Moluccan cockatoo has a constant need for mental stimulation. Therefore opportunity to use food items as part of this process provides the means to introducing new components to the bird’s diet at the same time as providing play and chewing material.The nestboxes I supply for pairs of Moluccan cockatoo normally measure 80 centimeters by 45 centimeters by 45 centimeters (32 inches by 18 inches by 18 inches), made from 1 centimeter (.4 inch) thick panels of plywood. Essential requirements of the nestbox include the provision of an inspection door, a metal ladder up the interior front of the box leading to the entrance hole and a perch on the exterior of the box immediately in front of the entrance hole. The diameter of the entrance hole normally measures about 20 centimeters (8 inches), although many pairs of Moluccan cockatoos will enlarge the entrance hole themselves. The nesting medium that I have always used for Moluccan cockatoos is large wood shavings that are provided fresh at the beginning of the breeding season, and which are changed as frequently as needed throughout the course of the breeding season between breeding activity.

Moluccan cockatoos show far less seasonality of egg-laying compared to other psittacines. I have recorded eggs laid by birds under my care in every calendar month of the year. The normal clutch-size for Moluccan cockatoos is most commonly two eggs; occasionally a single egg or rarely three can be laid in a clutch. During the four years that I was curator of Loro Parque, I recorded the frequency of Moluccan cockatoo clutch-sizes from a sample of 37 clutches laid between January 1994 and December 1997. This showed the following results: Five clutches contained a single egg (13.5 percent);

29 clutches contained two eggs (78.4 percent); three clutches contained three eggs (8.1 percent). It is probably worth noting that all three of the clutches that consisted of three eggs were laid by the same female. I would still consider this as an uncommon clutch-size for the species.

The eggs are completely white in coloration, and measurements from a sample of six eggs (laid from two different hen birds) showed average external dimensions of 45.4 millimeters by 33.7 millimeters (1.8 inches by 1.3 inches) — ranges: 48.1/43.6 by 34.3/31.4 millimeters (1.9/1.7 by 1.4/1.3 inches).

The incubation period for the Moluccan cockatoo is 28 days, with brooding being undertaken by both the cock and hen bird. Incubation normally begins soon after the laying of the first egg. Eggs are laid at roughly 48 hour time intervals, with hatching times also showing the same 48 hour time intervals between chick emergence.

The potential for multiple clutches is good if eggs are removed for artificial incubation. Loro Parque in Tenerife is situated in a near-perfect sub-tropical climate. Given these climatic conditions, pairs of Moluccan cockatoo that were left to rear their own chicks were still capable of rearing two broods of young each year if the first brood of chicks were removed from the parents aviary by four weeks after fledging. Moluccan cockatoos at Loro Parque that had their eggs removed could regularly lay four or more clutches of eggs each year.

Newly hatched Moluccan cockatoo chicks commonly weigh between 14-20 grams (.49-.7 ounces) in body weight. A yellow primary natal down is present over the body at hatching, but often disappears from abrasion after a few days. Under the care of their parents, the chicks will normally begin to leave the nestbox at 14 weeks of age. Hand-reared chicks can also be weaned by the age of 14 weeks, but can sometimes demonstrate food-begging behavior for up to two months longer if they have become imprinted upon their human parent and receive constant human attention. Moluccan cockatoos bred in captivity are routinely banded with a closed legband, normally between 14-20 days of age. Stainless steel legbands should be used because of the Moluccan cockatoo’s great bill strength. I also recommend that once the chick is weaned and independent, a microchip identification be placed into the breast muscle of the bird. This is always a good precaution in case the leg band becomes damaged or has to be removed for any reason.

When Moluccan cockatoo chicks are being parent-reared, I always maintain regular observation of the chicks’ progress. Breeding pairs of Moluccan cockatoos often have a reputation of being difficult to work with in the nestbox while they are breeding. If there is a risk of aggression the nest box should only be examined when the adult birds are outside in the aviary. The chick should be visually checked to ensure that there is food present in the crop, the size and weight appearance of the chick is as expected for its age, and the eyes, wings, legs, toes and feathers appear normal. The chick and the nesting medium should also be checked to ensure that no ecto-parasites are present (such as ticks or mites). Common problems that may affect a chick being parent-reared can potentially include inconsistent feeding behavior, such as failure to feed the chick after hatching or stopping feeding the chick part way through the rearing period. Biting of the chicks’ emerging pin-feathers, or even the chicks’ toes and wings, and the risk of parasitic infestation are other potential problems. While a breeding pair of Moluccan cockatoos has eggs or chicks inside of the nest box, the husbandry routines of feeding and cleaning should be kept as regular as possible so that the birds become used to the presence of their keeper at certain times of the day. The remainder of the day they should be left undisturbed.

If eggs are removed for artificial incubation, I use the following parameters. The interior incubator temperature is maintained at a constant 37.4 degrees Celsius (99.3 degrees Fahrenheit), from the initiation of incubation until the time of internal pipping (25-26 days after the initiation of incubation when the chicks’ beak first breaks through into the air cell). From the time of internal pip the temperature is lowered and maintained at 36.6 degrees Celsius (97.8 degrees Fahrenheit), ready for the chicks’ hatch and emergence. Humidity is maintained at 55 percent for the incubation period, until it is raised to 90 percent once internal pip (or external pip) has been observed. If eggs are being incubated from an early stage, or if candling of the egg indicates an abnormal size of the air sac compared to the relative stage of embryo development, closer management of egg weight loss can be implemented (Jordan, 1989: Harvey, 1990).

From the beginning of the incubation period until internal pipping has been observed, the eggs are turned several times each day through 180 degrees, always in alternating direction at each turning. Once pipping has taken place the egg is no longer turned, but allowed to rest in a natural resting position. Once the egg has pipped and is maintained as described above under hatching conditions, then the emergence of the chick from the egg normally takes place between 36-48 hours after the first external pip mark has been recorded.

Once hatched in the incubator, the chick should be left undisturbed for up to eight hours so that it can rest and dry after the emergence process. After this, the chick is moved to a pre-prepared brooder set at a temperature of 36 degrees Celsius (96.8 degrees Fahrenheit) for the first five days. Then the temperature is slowly lowered by about 1 degree Celsius (33.8 degrees Fahrenheit) every three days. The exact rate is varied according to the chicks’ reactions. Signs that the chick is uncomfortable due to the temperature being too high include panting and a brighter red skin coloration than normal. If the chick is too cold, it will be lethargic and the skin coloration will be pale.

I have successfully hand-raised Moluccan cockatoos on a variety of different diets. Today I would recommend one of the commercial hand-rearing diets manufactured either by Pretty Bird or by Kaytee. I would recommend the very first feed given (about 12 hours after hatching and once the chick is comfortable with the temperature environment of the brooder) should simply consist of a hydration solution, such as lactated ringers solution with some lactobacillus added. If the chick appears normal then use of the main hand-rearing diet can begin once the crop has emptied from the hydration formula.

Preparation of the hand-rearing formula begins with the chick receiving a proportion of 10 percent solids to 90 percent water during its first day after hatching. This increased to 12 percent solids on the second day, 15 percent solids on the third day, 18 percent solids on the fourth day, 20 percent solids on the fifth day and 23 percent solids on the sixth day. From day eight onward, the chick should receive food prepared with a 25 percent solids to 75 percent water ratio for the remainder of the rearing period. Detailed records of husbandry parameters used and results achieved have been prepared for publication (Sweeney, at press).

Some care does need to be taken to ensure that young Moluccan cockatoos do not become overweight in the latter part of hand-rearing (between the period from pin-feathers emerging until the period of weaning begins). If the chick does appear to be unduly overweight, as assessed by the amount of fat covering the chest muscles, then the feeding schedule or amount of fat in the diet needs to be reassessed. Pretty Bird manufactures hand-rearing diets that have different levels of fat (15 percent, 12 percent and 8 percent). In the case of an overweight chick it is recommended that a low-fat diet be used rather than reducing the frequency of feeding away from recommended guidelines (Sweeney, at press). The weaning period for hand-raised Moluccan cockatoos can be particularly long and drawn out, compared to other species of psittacines. This is partly due to their larger physical size and also to their increased intelligence and sensitivity. Whenever possible hand-reared Moluccan cockatoos approaching the weaning period should be socialized with con-specifics, ideally two or possibly three birds sharing a large cage. Single birds will prove more difficult to wean as they will lack the mental stimulation of social interaction with cage mates, instead being totally dependant upon their human keeper for companionship and mental stimulation. It is no surprise that the Moluccan cockatoo suffers a deeper degree of imprinted behavior than other species of psittacines that are regularly hand-reared as intended pet birds.

The pet appeal of young Moluccan cockatoos is obviously very strong, but anyone considering bringing such a bird into their lives should be aware that this is one of the most demanding parrot species that can be kept within the home. The Moluccan cockatoo has a beak with enormous strength and a constant need for items to chew. This means that a pet bird will need human presence within the house throughout the time it is allowed to wander outside of its cage. For such a large and active bird, it would be unfair to see the birds confined to a cage for too long. So if the potential owner has a household that does not have somebody present through the middle of the working day, then perhaps a less demanding choice of species would be advisable.

Reprinted by Pretty Birds from Roger G. Sweeney (Former curator of birds at Loro Parque, S.A., Tenerife, Canary Islands).

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