Moluccan Cockatoo - 'Bo'

This is BO, a Moluccan Cockatoo. He is about a 15 year old cockatoo. Bo belonged to a minister and his wife who were extremely busy and wanted to help the Foundation. They felt Bo would be an asset to our programs and we agree. Bo is a bird that touches your heart.

Moluccan Cockatoos are found in Indonesia, mainly in the southern Moluccan Islands, above Australia, and are part of the parrot family.

The Moluccan has a large, broad, backward-curving crest which is deep reddish pink (sometimes salmon-colored) in color. The underside of the flight feathers is a lighter pastel pink. However, the underside of the tail feathers shows a bright yellow in some birds and lesser yellow in others. The eye ring is white. Legs and bill are dark gray. Female Cockatoos have a dark reddish brown eye, and are usually less pink. In the wild, Cockatoos eat seeds, nuts, fruits, insects, and larvae.

When excited, the Moluccan will raise their crest, stamp their feet and clack their bills. This behavior is particular to the Moluccan. Another characteristic which is typical of most Cockatoos but seen most frequently in the Moluccan is the ability to bring the feathers on each side of the bill up and around to cover most of the bill.

They nest in a natural hollow in trees or rocks, where the female Lays 2-4 eggs; both parents care for the young.

Moluccan Cockatoos are very intelligent, and can mimic human speech - as can Bo. The Moluccan Cockatoo is one of the more affectionate, intelligent and emotional of the cockatoos. Because they are very cuddly and affectionate, they can easily be spoiled as a baby, and can become very demanding, and begin screaming to get attention.

Once plentiful in the wild, unregulated exportation and rampant habitat destruction has almost guaranteed their extinction in their native habitat. Older estimates placed the wild population at 2000 individuals in a very limited range such that, in 1989, they were placed on CITES Appendix 1. Recent estimates are much, much lower.