Nest boxes should be provided for breeding. If the cage is very large, two boxes can be used. More than two boxes may detract or confuse the pair, although the Rotterdam Zoo has had breeding from a pair with many nest boxes. Breeding success has been attained with an assortment of wooden nest box sizes.

A rectangular box situated on end is the generally accepted type. Both open top boxes and boxes with large entrance holes, such as 30 cm (12") diameter, are used by palm cockatoos.

These types allow the birds to drop nesting material into the box, which is an important breeding behavior. We recommend that the nest box be between 1 m to 1.3 m (3' to 4') deep.

Any deeper may cause the birds to spend too much time filling the box with nesting material. Open top boxes, with a minimum 60 cm (2') of clearance to the top of the cage, have been the most successful.

Palm cockatoos create their own nesting material from soft branches such as eucalyptus, bamboo, acacia, and willow. The cockatoos will splinter the branches and take the pieces into the nest, as mentioned above.

Branches can be given to the birds year round, but should at least be provided at the onset of the breeding season and at regular intervals until an egg has been laid.

The birds may become frustrated if there are long periods when they do not have access to nesting material. In at least one instance, aggression to the female by the male was thought to be the result of this situation.

A good rule of thumb is to give the birds new branches as soon as they finish the previous branches to ensure they have a constant supply.