Pink cockatoo

Pink cockatoo (Eolophus roseicapilla)

In the photo: pink cockatoo. Photo: wikimedia.org

Appearance of a pink cockatoo

The pink cockatoo is a short-tailed parrot with a body length of about 35 cm and a weight of about 400 grams. Both male and female pink cockatoo are colored the same. The main color of the body is dirty pink, the back, wings and tail are gray. On the top of the head, the feathers are lighter. There is a light crest, which the bird can raise and lower. Undertail is white. The periorbital ring and the area around the eyes are naked, gray-blue in color. In male pink cockatoos, this area is wider and more wrinkled than in females. The iris of sexually mature males of the pink cockatoo is dark brown, while the females are lighter. Paws are grey. The beak is gray-pink, powerful.

There are 3 subspecies of pink cockatoo, which differ in color elements and habitat.

Lifespan of a pink cockatoo with proper care – about 40 years.

Habitat and life in nature pink cockatoo

The pink cockatoo lives in most of Australia, the island of Tasmania. The species is quite numerous and, thanks to agriculture, has expanded its habitat. However, the illegal trade in this species is thriving.

The pink cockatoo inhabits a variety of areas, including savannahs, open forests, and agro-landscapes. However, it avoids dense forests. Keeps at an altitude of up to 1600 meters above sea level.

The pink cockatoo’s diet includes a variety of grass and crop seeds, as well as insect larvae, berries, buds, flowers, and eucalyptus seeds. They can feed at a distance of up to 15 km from the nest. Often gather in large flocks together with other types of cockatoos.

In the photo: pink cockatoos. Photo: flickr.com

Reproduction of pink cockatoo

The nesting season of the pink cockatoo in the north falls on February – June, in some places in July – February, in other regions in August – October. Pink cockatoos nest in hollows of trees at a height of up to 20 meters. Usually birds clean off the bark around the hollow, and inside the nest is lined with eucalyptus leaves.

In the laying of a pink cockatoo, there are usually 3-4 eggs, which the birds incubate in turn. However, only the female incubates the eggs at night. Incubation lasts about 25 days.

At 7 – 8 weeks, pink cockatoo chicks leave the nest. Juveniles gather in large flocks, but their parents feed them for some time.