The mysterious pink cockatoo was spotted this week in Castle Hill. JUST like the pink elephant in the room, this mysterious pink cockatoo is also hard to ignore.
Does it suffer from a rare genetic mutation? Is it the recipient of a flamboyant dye-job?
The jury is still out.
Either way it’s hard to miss the wannabe flamingo perched high in the Castle Hill treetops.
The blushing cocky has been a regular visitor this week at Norman Scott’s property bordering Fred Caterson Reserve.
It arrives like clockwork every afternoon at 2pm and seems comfortable being close to humans.
“We have up to 20 birds which visit us every day and this one is certainly the standout of the flock,” Mr Scott said.
“My gut reaction is that it’s a mutant form of cockatoo that could have escaped from a private aviary because it looks extremely rare.
“I’ve seen it up close and it doesn’t look dyed, painted or sprayed, that’s for certain.”
To help unravel the mystery of the pink feathered faux-pas the Hills Shire Times contacted Taronga Zoo for expert opinion.
“Our bird keepers have had a look at the photos and have confirmed that it is definitely a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, however the colour is not a natural mutation,” a zoo spokeswoman said.
“They surmised that it may have come into contact with a dye or coloured material causing the pinkish colouration.”