Pink Sulpher Crested White Cockatoo

[Baddad (Marty)]

Hi all,
Its been a while since I stalked this site.
In my backyard, I feed the wild birds occasionally. White Cockatoos and a myriad of other bird species attend.
Now if you check the image one bird is definitely a dirty pink colour. I believe its not a new species and I know the reason for the colouring.
I'll let you all have a think about it. I have come across this before.

[LewisM]

Beta Carotene does that to birds - it is why Flamingoes are pink (feed from high beta-carotene lakes in Africa). Not sure where there would be a plentiful supply of beta carotene in SEQ though?

Every night when I pick up my wife driving past Duntroon in Canberra, there are hundreds of rabbits just outside the main gate. All normal coloured, except for ONE that is albino or apricot in colour - probably a domestic breed interbred with the regular fawn coloured ones. Stands out in the headlights

[gary]

Hi Marty,

Sightings and photos of sulphur crested cockatoos with abnormal colorings,
including pink, from various parts of the country get reported in the media
and on the net now and then.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/what-happe...27-gog4db.html

http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/foru...sted-Cockatoos

http://enhs.org.au/?p=2414

The usual theory from zoologists is that they have come into contact with a
dye.

Fluoro Pink is a popular colour for marking out groundworks. Perhaps a can
left on a construction site and an inquisitive beak or coming in contact
with the dye on the ground itself?

[sharpiel]

He's been digging and nesting in a tree. Temporary discolouring from sap and dirt etc. it'll clean off in a couple of weeks or so.

[AstralTraveller (David)]

Is it a gay bird who has come out in support of same-sex marriage?

[LewisM]

He got washed with a red T-shirt?

[Baddad (Marty)]

LOL,
RE: Washed with red T shirt - LewisM
Gay Cockatoo - David
Good try, no cigar but LOLLed. Clever
Les the birdman got it. Nesting inside a bloodwood tree. The wood is a red colour inside and the sap when it leaks looks like blood.
The bird rubs against the red wood and tiny particles remain on the feathers.
As Les says the colouring will eventually go after nesting is complete.

[pmrid (Peter)]

A cautionary tale.

I used to work at the Uni of Wollongong before I retired. I remember seeing a bunch of students in a rented house near the Uni were feeding the white cockies and often had great numbers of them sitting along the breadboard verandah rails in front of the house. Then, after the academic year ended and they all went home, the house fell vacant and the cockies were going hungry. So they got stuck into the breaboard railing instead and utterly demolished it.

Peter

[LewisM]

We shouldn't but we feed the local Maggies and Mickies (african Minors to pedants ). They are our mates - eat out of our hand, and walk or fly alongside us. I reckon keeping Maggies friends before nesting season is a good idea

VERY protective buggers too - the Mickies and Maggies work together, but if a crow or Currawong come on scene, all hell breaks loose as they defend their territory. Oddly, the Cockatoos have them all bluffed and they don't even try (we feed the Cockies wild bird seeds).

[sheeny (Al)]

Cocky's also love Cedar.

Anyone up our way with cedar trims on their house/hut/weekender has a big problem with cockatoos eating them.

Al.

[LewisM]

As coincidence would have it, we got this decidedly pink visitor today with the usual white ones...

[sharpiel]

Don't let the Mccarthyists see him Lewis!

Pretty tho isn't he? I get corellas coloured like that as well.

[LewisM]

First time we'd seen this one, unless he's one of the 4 regulars but gone nuts nesting.

They wait now for the Magpies and Mickies to finish before taking the left overs and sunflower seeds.

[Baddad (Marty)]

Hi LewisM,
Your pink Cocky seems camera shy. LOL
Les, I've had Corellas coloured pink as well. Have a regular one visiting with the other birds.