10 Fun Cockatiel Facts: Interesting Facts About Cockatiels

Cockatiels are small crested parrots from Australia, and one of the most widely kept pet birds. These ten facts cover where they come from, how big they get, what the crest tells you, how long they live, what space and food they need, and one kitchen hazard every cockatiel parent should know about.

Where Cockatiels Come From

The University of Michigan's Animal Diversity Web says cockatiels are native to the Australian mainland and widely distributed across it. They prefer inland areas to the coast, and they gather near fresh water in open country rather than dense forest. They are generally nomadic, and they search the ground for sun-dried seeds from grasses, shrubs, and trees.

Their scientific name is Nymphicus hollandicus. The Animal Diversity Web calls the cockatiel the smallest member of the cockatoo subfamily, and A-Z Animals gives 1770 as the year the species was discovered.

Size, Color, and Cheek Patches

VCA Animal Hospitals gives an average length of 12.5 inches (32 cm) and an average weight of 2.8 to 3.5 ounces (80 to 95 grams). The Animal Diversity Web says the long, tapered tail is about 15 cm and makes up half of the bird's length.

VCA describes a wild-type adult as gray with a yellow face, orange cheek patches, and white on the front part of each wing. Pet cockatiels also come in color varieties that VCA lists as lutino (white to lemon-yellow), pied, pearl, and cinnamon, plus many combinations of these. Adult coloring comes in after the first molt, around 9 to 12 months of age.

The Crest Shows Mood

According to the Animal Diversity Web, the crest stands straight up when a cockatiel is startled or alert and sits at roughly a 45-degree angle when the bird is content. It lies flat against the head when the bird is agitated or threatened. The same page says cockatiels pull their feathers in to look thin when frightened and puff them out when content.

Cockatiels Are Social Birds

Cockatiels are very social creatures. The Ambassador Animal Resource and Information Center, an information site for ambassador animal programs, calls them a highly social species. It says housing them with other cockatiels is much better for their welfare and that housing one alone is not recommended.

VCA, whose veterinarians write for pet parents, says a single bird may have better social interactions with human family members when it is the only bird in the house, and that with appropriate attention a cockatiel can live happily without other birds. In the wild, the Animal Diversity Web says, cockatiels form pairs that stay together through the year, and they travel in groups that range from a few birds to several thousand.

Whistling, Singing, and Limited Talking

VCA calls cockatiels wonderful whistlers with a limited ability to talk, and says their voice is whistle-like. Male cockatiels tend to be better talkers than females. The Animal Diversity Web goes further: cockatiels cannot accurately imitate the human voice, but they can mimic melodies and sing.

The same page says wild males whistle their own mating songs, that high-pitched chirps can signal stress, and that cockatiels are shrill and very loud, so their calls carry over long distances. Cockatiels also turn up in funny-clip compilations. Our roundup of the best animal vines lists cockatiels dancing among the bird entertainers.

How Long Cockatiels Live

Three sources give three ranges. VCA lists a life span of 10 to 14 years, with a maximum of 24 years. The Animal Diversity Web says wild cockatiels live 10 to 14 years, and captive ones up to 25 years, with the oldest on record reaching 36. The Ambassador Animal Resource and Information Center gives about 10 to 13 years in the wild and 10 to 30 years in captivity.

The Animal Diversity Web adds that diet and environment play essential roles in how long a captive cockatiel lives. VCA says cockatiels need a routine veterinary check-up every year and that a new bird should be seen by a veterinarian familiar with birds as soon as possible. The Merck Veterinary Manual notes that birds can mask signs of illness until late in the disease process.

Cage Size and Space

VCA gives a minimum cage size of 2 feet by 2 feet by 3 feet (60 cm by 60 cm by 90 cm) per bird. The Merck Veterinary Manual says a pet bird needs a cage large enough to climb and play in, with rope or other perches that stimulate activity and balance. The Ambassador Animal Resource and Information Center says multiple perching options are necessary to maintain good foot health.

VCA says cockatiels are beautiful flyers who enjoy a lot of activity and play, and that taking them out of the cage daily, with a TV to watch or a radio to listen to, helps keep them from getting bored. Cockatiels love to chew, so VCA recommends bird-safe toys, and it names non-toxic, untreated branches, pieces of wood, paper, and cardboard as good choices. The Ambassador Animal Resource and Information Center says birds able to fly need flight exercise to maintain muscle mass, and the Merck Veterinary Manual says wing trimming may not be recommended when a pet parent can provide a safe place to fly.

On light, the Merck Veterinary Manual says pet birds should have exposure to natural sunlight when possible, because ultraviolet B (UVB) light is required to activate vitamin D3 in birds. It says indoor UV lights can be used when natural sunlight is not an option, and that a bird outdoors, even in a cage, should be watched closely because many predators can injure a pet bird through the bars.

What Cockatiels Eat

In the wild, cockatiels are almost exclusively ground foragers, and the Animal Diversity Web calls seeds their food of choice. They also eat fruits and berries, and they have been seen eating small ground-dwelling insects.

For pet cockatiels, VCA says a commercially formulated pelleted food should be the base diet, with smaller amounts of vegetables and fruit and seed as an occasional treat. The Merck Veterinary Manual recommends a different split for most small birds, including cockatiels: 40 to 50 percent pellets, 30 to 40 percent seed mix, 10 to 15 percent healthy vegetables, and 5 to 10 percent fresh fruit. VCA says to ask a veterinarian for recommendations that fit a bird's age, health, and activity level.

Merck lists problems with seed-heavy feeding. All-seed diets, and even mixed diets of half seeds and half pellets when portions are not controlled, are deficient in vitamin A. Sunflower seeds are low in calcium, deficient in essential amino acids, and high in fat. Merck names seeds and nuts among the high-fat foods that contribute to obesity, and its nutritional diseases page shows fatty liver disease in a cockatiel. For foods to leave out entirely, Merck lists chocolate, caffeinated beverages, alcohol, junk food (salt and sweets), milk products, onions, avocados, and apple seeds.

Nonstick Cookware Fumes Can Kill Cockatiels

Cookware with a nonstick coating of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), the chemical behind Teflon, can release toxic fumes when overheated. The Merck Veterinary Manual says PTFE gas poisoning occurs commonly in pet birds housed in or near kitchens, and that the gas is released from certain nonstick pans when they overheat, at temperatures reaching 280 degrees Celsius (536 degrees Fahrenheit). Other sources it lists are irons, ironing board covers, some self-cleaning ovens, heating elements from some reverse cycle heat pumps, and some heat lamps.

Merck says the only clinical sign is often sudden death, and that small birds often die suddenly with minimal exposure. VCA says the gases are colorless and odorless, that birds can be poisoned even when they are not in the same room as the item, and that poisoning has been reported from products containing PTFE even at recommended temperatures. Its signs list includes agitation, rapid or labored breathing, wheezing, incoordination, weakness, coma, and seizures.

VCA calls avoiding PTFE products the only reliable way to prevent poisoning, and says not to house birds in areas where they are used, such as the kitchen or laundry room. If a bird has been exposed, VCA says to take it out of the area, get it fresh air immediately, and call a veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline. Pet Poison Helpline lists its number as 855-764-7661 and says a per-incident fee applies that includes follow-up consultations. Merck describes treatment as supportive care and gives a guarded prognosis.

Training and Handling

The Ambassador Animal Resource and Information Center says cockatiels take well to positive reinforcement training that uses their daily diet as the reward. It lists voluntary step-up, voluntary nail trims, and calm behavior on the hand among the behaviors trained, and says they can also learn show behaviors such as recycling, donation collection, and painting. It recommends daily enrichment, including foraging and chewing opportunities, and says serving the daily diet in foraging setups instead of a bowl is excellent enrichment.

On where to start, VCA says to choose a young bird if you can, because it may be easier to tame and train, and that hand-raised babies often make better pets because they are fully used to people. The Ambassador center says cockatiels do not need to be hand-reared from hatch to make good ambassador birds. VCA also says to expose a new bird to different events, such as young and old people, men and women, other pets, car trips, and veterinary visits, to help it stay calm and well adjusted.

More Cockatiel Fun Facts

• The Animal Diversity Web says cockatiels are timid by nature, always choose flight when they sense a threat, and can fly faster than 40 miles per hour.
• Cockatiels waterproof their outer feathers by coating them with oil from a gland near the tail, and the Animal Diversity Web says clouds of powder-down dust can be seen coming off a perching cockatiel after it preens.
• Courting males strut, hold their wings erect and away from the body, and pound their beaks rapidly to get attention, according to the Animal Diversity Web.

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Facts About Cockatiels FAQ

Do cockatiels bite a lot?

Cockatiels can bite but their bites usually do not hurt, according to Beauty of Birds. It says nipping is one way cockatiels communicate, such as when they want to be petted. It also says a cockatiel can bite hard enough to break the skin if it is aggravated or develops aggressive behavior, and that it may bite when something makes it feel threatened or unsafe. Beauty of Birds also says territorial aggression is especially common among males, who may bite or display toward other males that come near their food or mate.

Are cockatiels good pets?

VCA calls cockatiels graceful, gentle, generally quiet birds and says they make an excellent first bird for a family. It also calls them well suited for a household with children. The same page says they need to be entertained, taken out of the cage daily, and given bird-safe things to chew. With a life span VCA puts at 10 to 14 years, a cockatiel is a long commitment.

How can you tell a male cockatiel from a female?

VCA says mature males have solid gray coloring on the underside of the tail feathers, solid gray long wing feathers without spots on the underside, a bright yellow face, and bright orange cheek patches. Mature females have fine yellow bars on the underside of the tail feathers, yellow spots on the underside of the long wing feathers, a paler yellow face, and duller orange cheek patches. VCA adds that immature males and females have the same coloring as mature females.

Sources

• VCA Animal Hospitals. Cockatiels General Information.
• VCA Animal Hospitals. Teflon (Polytetrafluoroethylene) Poisoning in Birds.
• University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Animal Diversity Web: Nymphicus hollandicus (cockatiel).
• Merck Veterinary Manual. Management of Pet Birds.
• Merck Veterinary Manual. Nutritional Diseases of Pet Birds.
• Merck Veterinary Manual. Toxicoses of Pet Birds.
• Merck Veterinary Manual. Nutritional Disorders of Pet Birds.
• Pet Poison Helpline. Pet Poison Helpline.
• Ambassador Animal Resource and Information Center. Cockatiel.
• A-Z Animals. Cockatiel Animal Facts.
• Beauty of Birds. Are Cockatiels Aggressive? Do They Bite?