Meet Bubbles the Moluccan Cockatoo
Moluccan cockatoos are famous for their salmon-colored plumage and their ability to talk. Some internet famous Moluccans include Gotcha the Cockatoo, Mr. Max and Pebble the swearing cockatoo (video contains strong language).
Despite having beautiful plumage and being intelligent, Moluccan cockatoos are also the loudest species of parrot. "The noise factor in cockatoos is what people aren't usually prepared for," Wendy Anderson, an employee at Ronie's said. "Cockatoos can scream nonstop for hours."
Cockatoos typically have a loud screech, but a Moluccan is even louder. To put it into context, a 747 Jumbo Jet produces as much as 140 decibels of noise. Moluccan cockatoos produce up to 135 decibels of noise.
Anderson said cockatoos don't scream because they're in distress: there can be many reasons behind a screaming cockatoo and that can include being happy or asking for attention.
Bubbles is one Moluccan cockatoo who is looking for a new home here in Utah. She is currently at Ronie's For the Love of Birds where she is being cared for until she finds her forever home.
Bubbles has a habit of plucking her feathers. She wears a special flower-like collar around her neck to prevent her from self-mutilation. Her self-mutilating habit resulted her to biting a hole in her chest.
Bubbles is also missing two of her toes when they got stuck inside one of her toys. "Her toe got stuck in this toy so she chewed off both of her toes to set herself free," Anderson said.
When Bubbles arrived at Ronie's, she was extremely hormonal. Because her hormone levels were high, Bubbles laid a lot of eggs, which depleted her calcium. Bubbles' previous owners left her at Ronie's when she made the hole in her chest from plucking and self-mutilation.
The staff at Ronie's take care of Bubbles and have been taking her to Parrish Creek for veterinary care.
"There are a number of reasons why birds pluck," Anderson said. "It can be because of stress, boredom, or just a bad habit.
Even with a low-stress environment, a better diet and plenty of toys to play with, Bubbles is still struggling with feather plucking. "Whoever her new owner is will have to work with her on her plucking habits," a staff named Linda said.
Moluccan cockatoos are difficult to rehome because of their noise level. But the staff at Ronie's will keep Bubbles until they find her the right home, even if it takes a while.
"Ultimately, we let our birds pick their owners," Wendy said. "We let our birds have the final say on who they get to go home with."