Cockatiel
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittacidae
Subfamily: Cacatuinae
Genus: Nymphicus (Wagler, 1832)
Specie: Nymphicus hollandicus (Kerr, 1792)
Common name: Cockatiel
Breed: Cockatiel
Uses: Exhibition & Ornamentals bird
Origen: Australia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittacidae
Subfamily: Cacatuinae
Genus: Nymphicus (Wagler, 1832)
Specie: Nymphicus hollandicus (Kerr, 1792)
Common name: Cockatiel
Breed: Cockatiel
Uses: Exhibition & Ornamentals bird
Origen: Australia
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The Cockatiel is a small cockatoo endemic to Australia. In addition to cockatiel the bird is also known as Quarrion bird or Weiro bird, and its scientific name is Nymphicus hollandicus. The name cockatiel is derived from the Dutch word kakatielje which means “little cockatoo”. The species name Nymphicus hollandicus might seem confusing since this bird is native to Australia, but Australia was once known as New Holland. The cockatiel is today one of the most commonly kept birds in the world. The free-ranging population is very large, and the IUCN lists this species’ conservation status of “least concern”. Cockatiels probably represent the smallest of the cockatoos, although there is some controversy surrounding this classification. Cockatiels are common as aviary birds and they make excellent pets.
Cockatiels are most commonly found in outback regions of inland Australia and can cause problems for farmers by eating their crops. These birds are especially fond of scrublands, bush lands and wetlands but can exist in other types of habitats as well as long as water can be found nearby. They are not found in the southwest and southeast corners of Australia, the Cape York Peninsula, and the central parts of the desert. Cockatiels are nomadic and will move from place to place in search of food and water.
The cockatiel is a small parrot (approximately 32 cm or 12.5 in) with an erectile crest and long retrices or tail feathers. The standard or wild type cockatiel is predominately grey with yellow, orange, and white accents. Many color mutations exist including lutino, cinnamon, fallow, whiteface, pied, silver, olive, yellowcheek, and pearl.
Male cockatiels have yellow foreheads, throats, crests and cheek patches with orange ear coverts. Females have much less yellow and a barred pattern underneath the wings. Males have solid black plumage under their wings. Sexual dimorphism is most obvious in the standard or wild type cockatiel. Until maturity at 6 months of age, coloration will resemble that of a female including yellow or white bars on the ventral surface of the wings. Cockatiels live in pairs or small flocks and especially attractive bodies of water can attract hundreds of specimens.
It is hard to sex cockatiels until they have been through their first molt, which usually takes place when they are roughly 6-9 months of age. Once the adult plumage is in place, normal gray cockatiels are easy to sex since the coloring is much more defined in males. The male bird has a bright yellow face, while the female bird has a gray face with only traces of pale yellow. There is also a difference in body color; even though both sexes feature a gray body the male sports a much darker shade of gray. If you look on the underside of the tail of an adult bird, the female will show a barring pattern while the male shows a solid gray color. (Before the first molt both sexes have this barring pattern.)
Other color varieties than the normal gray one, e.g. pearls, cinnamons and albinos, are trickier to sex based on coloration, you usually have to study their behavior instead or you must do the DNA test.
Cockatiels will often breed spontaneously in captivity without any coaxing as long as they have access to some sort of suitable nest. If you allow your birds to room free in your home, they may decide to nest on top of shelves, in a drawer, or similar.
Cockatiels reach adolescence when they are around 9 months old. Females reach adulthood when they are about 15-18 months old, while males need a little more time to develop and typically enter adulthood at an age of 21 months. Some specimens become sexually mature when they are still quite young (during puberty, not adulthood), but it is not advisable to breed them until they are at least 12-18 months old. They are the only cockatoo species capable of reproducing within a year of being hatched.
A cockatiel clutch will typically consist of 4-5 thumbnail-sized eggs which are laid once very two days and incubated for roughly three weeks. The hatchlings normally leave the nest when they are four or five weeks of age and are weaned after an additional three to six weeks. Male cockatiels are very nurturing and protective of their offspring and can successfully raise a batch even without the aid of the mother. In order to make the offspring more used to human handling you can start hand-feeding them about 2-3 weeks after hatching.
The cockatiel can breed with the Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla) and form a hybrid commonly referred to as 'Galatiel'.
It is very important to keep your cockatiel on a varied diet to ensure optimal health and make life in captivity less monotonous. You can for instance use a cockatiel seed mix with added vitamins as a base and supplement with fresh fruits, vegetables and sprouts. Cuttlebone and a mineral block should be present in the cage. If you suspect the diet to be too low in protein you can give your bird occasional servings of boiled eggs, tofu, cottage cheese or cooked fish and chicken. Some cockatiel mixes contain a high degree of sunflower seeds, which can be too energy rich for a captive cockatiel, especially if it isn’t allowed to fly around a lot on a daily basis. A passive bird kept on such a diet can become obese.
It is hard to detect and diagnose illness in a cockatiel and it is advisable to enlist the aid of a qualified vet if your cockatiel displays any sign of poor health. The better you know your own cockatiel, the easier it will be for you to spot early signs of trouble.
Their lifespans in captivity are generally reported as 15-20 years, though it is sometimes given as short as 12-15 years and there are anecdotes of some living as long as 30 years.
Their voices are quite pleasing, and they rarely get noisy, except when excited and that usually doesn't take long.
Cockatiels are most commonly found in outback regions of inland Australia and can cause problems for farmers by eating their crops. These birds are especially fond of scrublands, bush lands and wetlands but can exist in other types of habitats as well as long as water can be found nearby. They are not found in the southwest and southeast corners of Australia, the Cape York Peninsula, and the central parts of the desert. Cockatiels are nomadic and will move from place to place in search of food and water.
The cockatiel is a small parrot (approximately 32 cm or 12.5 in) with an erectile crest and long retrices or tail feathers. The standard or wild type cockatiel is predominately grey with yellow, orange, and white accents. Many color mutations exist including lutino, cinnamon, fallow, whiteface, pied, silver, olive, yellowcheek, and pearl.
Male cockatiels have yellow foreheads, throats, crests and cheek patches with orange ear coverts. Females have much less yellow and a barred pattern underneath the wings. Males have solid black plumage under their wings. Sexual dimorphism is most obvious in the standard or wild type cockatiel. Until maturity at 6 months of age, coloration will resemble that of a female including yellow or white bars on the ventral surface of the wings. Cockatiels live in pairs or small flocks and especially attractive bodies of water can attract hundreds of specimens.
It is hard to sex cockatiels until they have been through their first molt, which usually takes place when they are roughly 6-9 months of age. Once the adult plumage is in place, normal gray cockatiels are easy to sex since the coloring is much more defined in males. The male bird has a bright yellow face, while the female bird has a gray face with only traces of pale yellow. There is also a difference in body color; even though both sexes feature a gray body the male sports a much darker shade of gray. If you look on the underside of the tail of an adult bird, the female will show a barring pattern while the male shows a solid gray color. (Before the first molt both sexes have this barring pattern.)
Other color varieties than the normal gray one, e.g. pearls, cinnamons and albinos, are trickier to sex based on coloration, you usually have to study their behavior instead or you must do the DNA test.
Cockatiels will often breed spontaneously in captivity without any coaxing as long as they have access to some sort of suitable nest. If you allow your birds to room free in your home, they may decide to nest on top of shelves, in a drawer, or similar.
Cockatiels reach adolescence when they are around 9 months old. Females reach adulthood when they are about 15-18 months old, while males need a little more time to develop and typically enter adulthood at an age of 21 months. Some specimens become sexually mature when they are still quite young (during puberty, not adulthood), but it is not advisable to breed them until they are at least 12-18 months old. They are the only cockatoo species capable of reproducing within a year of being hatched.
A cockatiel clutch will typically consist of 4-5 thumbnail-sized eggs which are laid once very two days and incubated for roughly three weeks. The hatchlings normally leave the nest when they are four or five weeks of age and are weaned after an additional three to six weeks. Male cockatiels are very nurturing and protective of their offspring and can successfully raise a batch even without the aid of the mother. In order to make the offspring more used to human handling you can start hand-feeding them about 2-3 weeks after hatching.
The cockatiel can breed with the Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla) and form a hybrid commonly referred to as 'Galatiel'.
It is very important to keep your cockatiel on a varied diet to ensure optimal health and make life in captivity less monotonous. You can for instance use a cockatiel seed mix with added vitamins as a base and supplement with fresh fruits, vegetables and sprouts. Cuttlebone and a mineral block should be present in the cage. If you suspect the diet to be too low in protein you can give your bird occasional servings of boiled eggs, tofu, cottage cheese or cooked fish and chicken. Some cockatiel mixes contain a high degree of sunflower seeds, which can be too energy rich for a captive cockatiel, especially if it isn’t allowed to fly around a lot on a daily basis. A passive bird kept on such a diet can become obese.
It is hard to detect and diagnose illness in a cockatiel and it is advisable to enlist the aid of a qualified vet if your cockatiel displays any sign of poor health. The better you know your own cockatiel, the easier it will be for you to spot early signs of trouble.
Their lifespans in captivity are generally reported as 15-20 years, though it is sometimes given as short as 12-15 years and there are anecdotes of some living as long as 30 years.
Their voices are quite pleasing, and they rarely get noisy, except when excited and that usually doesn't take long.