Where to see them:
Zoo Atlanta’s breeding pair hatched at Melbourne Zoo in Australia in 1979. The pair has raised chicks many times.
Major Mitchell’s cockatoos are not considered suitable pets.
Many cockatoos are found in large flocks, but Major Mitchell’s cockatoos are generally found in pairs.
Major Mitchell's Cockatoos
Height is 12 inches; weight is 10 ounces
Grasslands and light woodlands of central Australia
Major Mitchell’s cockatoos are birds of the Australian Outback. They are nomadic and follow the rains and are opportunistic breeders whenever conditions are right and food is plentiful. They mature at about 5 years old and form permanent pair bonds. Major Mitchell’s cockatoos nest in cavities, usually in eucalyptus trees. As Major Mitchell’s cockatoos do not flock, they been les persecuted in Australia than have other cockatoos that destroy crops.
Seeds, grains and fruit
The female lays about three eggs that are incubated for 30 days. Both parents feed the chicks by regurgitating food directly into the chicks’ beaks. The chicks first leave the nest at 8 weeks old and stay with the parents until the start of the next breeding season.
Some of My Neighbors (IN THE WILD)
Budgerigars, other cockatoo species, emus, kangaroos
Population Status & Threats
The species is hard to monitor in the wild. The population appears to be declining, but the reasons for this are not well understood. However, many parts of their range are increasingly becoming near-desert.