By Diane Burroughs
The Major Mitchell Cockatoo is a beautiful, pink colored, medium sized cockatoo originating from Central and South Central Australia. These parrots are considered to be "threatened" on a low level, as of this writing - they are on the Appendix II list. Also known as the "Leadbeater" or Pink Cockatoo these birds may live about 60-75 years in captivity, Major Mitchell's tend to bond very deeply to one person and are prone to becoming nippy when they have to share their human mate.
These birds are recommended as pets only for very experienced parrot people who are willing to undertake a life-long commitment for their care. They are NOT known to be a cuddly pet like other species of Cockatoo's.
Like most Cockatoo's, Major Mitchell's are very active and do best with a lot of out of cage time and interaction. Major Mitchell's need safe outlets to satisfy their instincts to explore, chew, and play. They require bird toys that promote intellectual stimulation, exercise and foraging opportunities. And, lots and lots of wood to chew! Their cage requirements are large, too. We recommend a 4' x 3' x 4' cage at a minimum.
But, it is a bit of a mystery about how the Major Mitchell Cockatoo got it's name. If you know how these beautiful pink cockatoo's got the name "Major Mitchell" - please comment.
