Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo - Cacatua leadbeateri

Presentation

Its Latin name pays tribute to the English naturalist Benjamin Leadbeater, whereas its English name Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo refers to Major Thomas Mitchell who wrote: "Few birds more enliven the monotonous hues of the Australian forest than this beautiful species whose pink-coloured wings and flowing crest might have embellished the air of a more voluptuous region." This is an Australian bird which lives in colonies. It is predominantly white and pink. The male has dark brown eyes and the female pink. A breeding pair will prevent any other Cockatoos from breeding on their territory in the breeding season. The oldest parrot fossil was found in France. It existed thirty million years ago. The morphology of parrots has remained virtually unchanged.

Characteristics

CLASS : Aves
ORDER : Psittaciformes
FAMILY : Cacatuidae
WINGSPAN :
WEIGHT : 360- 480g
CLUTCH SIZE : 2-5 eggs
INCUBATION : 23-24 days
LIFE EXPECTANCY : 70 years
DIET : it mainly feeds on indigenous and exotic melon seeds, as well as the seeds of several pine species. It also eats grains and insect larvae extracted from the branches of trees.
NATURAL HABITAT : it frequents semi-arid and arid areas, with trees alongside rivers and streams and wooded areas
RANGE : Australia

Conservation status

Conservation status info

 
Rocher des Aigles


LC : Least Concern
The population is stable, but the species is threatened by changes to its habitat, trapping and nest robbery.

cacatoes-de-leadbeater
 
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