Cockatiel | Easy to Breed Household Pet and Companion Parrot

The Cockatiel is a parrot that is the member of “Cockatoo family” prevalent in Australia. Cockatiels are recognized as domestic pets and companion parrots all over the world. They are comparatively easy to breed. As a captive bird, Cockatiel is second to the Budgerigar in its reputation.

The Cockatiel is the one member of species “Nymphicus”. It was formerly thought to be a crested parrot or small Cockatoo. However, the latest research has assigned it to the subfamily “Nymphicinae”. It is, therefore, now categorized as the tiniest of “Cacatuidae” (Cockatoo family). Cockatiels are innate to Australia and they like Australian swamplands, wild-lands, and bush-lands.

Length and Size

Contrary to most Cockatoos, the Cockatiel has long tail-feathers evenly covering half of its whole length. At the size of 30 to 33 cm (12 to 13 inches), Cockatiels are considered the smallest of Cockatoos and usually larger at the size between 30 and 60 cm (12 and 23.5 inches).

Lifespan

The normal lifespan of Cockatiel is expected between 16 to 25 years in captivity, however, often it is considered between 10 to 15 years. However, there are some stories about Cockatiel’s living for as long as 32 years. The lengthiest lifespan of Cockatiel reported as 36 years. The diet, exercise, and training are very important issues of Cockatiels.

Cockatiel Appearance

The Cockatiel's unique erectile crest indicates the bird’s passionate nature. The crest is intensely upright when the Cockatiel is alarmed or excited, moderately slanting in its balanced or relaxed state, and compressed close to the head when the bird is annoyed or cautious. The crest is also apparent smooth but juts outward in the back when Cockatiel seems attractive or playful.

The ordinary grey or wild type Cockatiel's fluff is mostly grey with protuberant white blazes on the external edges of each wing. The male has a yellow or white face, whereas, the female is mostly grey or light-grey. Both male and female have a rotund orange area on both ears, frequently mentioned as ‘cheddar cheeks’. This orange pattern is usually vibrant in adult males, and frequently fairly muted in females. Visual sexing is frequently conceivable with this variant of the bird.

The Cockatiels are comparatively vocal birds. The calls of males are very dissimilar than females. Cockatiels can be trained to sing particular tunes or songs and speak numerous words and sentences.

Cockatiel Distribution and Habitat

The Cockatiels are innate to Australia, where they seem mostly in arid or semi-arid areas, but they always like to remain closer to the water. Largely itinerant, the species will travel to the places where food and water are adequately available. They are normally seen as couples or in small groups. Occasionally, hundreds will flight over a single body of water. To various farmers' dismay, they frequently eat cultivated harvests. They have vanished from most productive south-west and south-east regions of the country, the innermost western Australian deserts, and the Cape York Peninsula. They are the single Cockatoo species which can occasionally breed at the culmination of their first year.

Cockatiel Color Mutations

Presently, 22 Cockatiel’s color mutations have been recognized worldwide in aviculture with 8 being selected in Australia. Changes in captivity have occurred in different colors; some are fairly dissimilar from those observed in nature. The wild Cockatiels are grey with noticeable alterations between males and females. The male grey Cockatiels usually have yellow heads whereas the females have grey heads. Adolescents tend to be the same in appearance to the females with redder beaks. The multi-colored mutation was first looked in California in 1949. This change is a blemish of color on an else solid-colored parrot. For instance, this may look like a grey mark on yellow Cockatiels.

Lutino coloring was first recognized in 1958. These birds dearth the grey of their wild complements and are white to soft-yellow. This is a prevalent color; due to inbreeding. These Cockatiels frequently have a slight bare spot behind their crests. The cinnamon mutation, first understood in the 1950s, is very related to the grey bird in appearance; however, these birds have a deeper, darker complexion. Pearling was initially looked in 1967. This is realized as a quill of one color with a dissimilar tinted edge, for example, grey feathers with yellow tips. This unique design is on a bird's wings or hindmost. Albino color alteration is a deficiency of color. These birds are white with red-eyes. Fallow Cockatiels first seemed onetime in the 1970s. This mutation displays as a bird with cinnamon complexion with yellow segments.

Additional mutations comprise emerald/olive, dominant and receding silver, as well as mutations, are observant in Australia. These are Australian bare, paled, dilute/pastel silver, silver sequin, platinum, covered and pewter. Supplementary changes, for instance, face varying mutations comprise; white-face, pastel-face, foremost yellow-cheek, gold-cheek, cream-face, and the Australian yellow-cheek.

Cockatiel color alterations can become very difficult as one bird may have several color changes. For instance, yellow lutino Cockatiels may have to pearl (white spots) on their wings and back. This is a dual mutation. An example of multiple mutations would be cinnamon Cockatiel with yellow face complexion with pearling and multicolored designs.

Cockatiel Parakeet (Nymphicus Hollandicus)