The Cockatiel (Nymphicus
hollandicus), also known as the Quarrion and the Weiro,
is the smallest cockatoo endemic to Australia. They are prized as a
household pet and companion parrot throughout the world and are
relatively easy to breed. As a caged bird, cockatiels are second only in
popularity to the Budgerigar.
The cockatiel is the only member of the
genus Nymphicus. It was previously considered a crested
parrot or small cockatoo; however, more recent molecular studies have
assigned it to the Cockatoo subfamily
Calyptorhynchinae (commonly known as Dark Cockatoos). It is,
therefore, now classified as the smallest of the
Cacatuidae (Cockatoo family). Cockatiels are native to the outback
regions of inland Australia, and favour the Australian wetlands,
scrublands, and bush lands.
Portrayal
The Cockatiel's distinctive erectile crest expresses the animal's
state of being. The crest is dramatically vertical when the cockatiel is
startled or excited, gently oblique in its neutral or relaxed state, and
flattened close to the head when the animal is angry or defensive. The
crest is also held flat but protrudes outward in the back when the
cockatiel is trying to appear alluring or flirtatious. In contrast to
most Cockatoos, the Cockatiel has long tail feathers roughly making up
half of its total length. At 300 mm to 330 mm (12 to 13 ins), the
Cockatiel is the smallest and only parakeet type of Cockatoo species.
The latter ranging between 300 mm to 600 mm (12–24 in) in length.
The "Normal Grey" or "Wild-type" cockatiel's plumage is primarily
grey with prominent white flashes on the outer edges of each wing. The
face of the male is yellow or white, while the face of the female is
primarily grey or light grey, and both sexes feature a round orange area
on both ear areas, often referred to as "cheek patches." This orange
colouration is generally vibrant in adult males, and often quite muted
in females. Visual sexing is often possible with this variant of the
bird.
Distribution
and Habitat
Cockatiels are native to Australia, where they are found largely in
arid or semi-arid country, but always near water. Largely nomadic, the
species will move to where food and water is available. They are
typically seen in pairs or small flocks. Sometimes, hundreds will flock
around a single such body of water. To many farmers' dismay, they often
eat cultivated crops. They are absent from the most fertile southwest
and southeast corners of the country, the deepest Western Australian
deserts, and Cape York Peninsula. They are the only Cockatoo species
which can sometimes reproduce in the end of their first year.
The Cockatiel's lifespan in captivity is
generally given as 15–20 years, though it is sometimes given as short as
10–15 years, and there are reports of Cockatiels living as long as 30
years, the oldest confirmed specimen reported being 36 years old. Diet
and exercise are major determining factors in cockatiel lifespan.
Colour
Mutations
Fifteen different Cockatiel colour mutations are currently
established in aviculture, including Grey, Pied, Pearled, Cinnamon,
Whitefaced, Lutino, Albino (aka. Whitefaced Lutino) and Yellowcheeked
Cockatiels.
Aviculture
Cockatiels are generally regarded as good pets having a sweet
demeanor, though this is by no means a guarantee. Like most other pets,
the manner in which the animal is raised, handled, and kept along with
individual personality have a profound effect on the temperament of the
animal. Some birds are quite gregarious and sociable while others can be
shy, retreating to the back of the cage when an unfamiliar figure
appears. If handled often and if they have a patient owner, cockatiels
become tame very quickly compared to some other parrot species.
Vocalization
Although cockatiels are part of the parrot order, they are
better at imitating whistles than speech. Males may learn to whistle
different tunes. Although they can learn words, the only understandable
parts of the words are the inflections, while the consonants are not
easily discernible. Their whistles and other mimicking sounds such as
'lip-smacking' and 'tutting' are almost perfect imitations of the sounds
their owners make. Although some cockatiels do learn to repeat phrases,
males are generally better at mimicry than females. Cockatiel speech
often comes out as a "whistle" when they do annunciate, the voice being
soft in volume and difficult to make out. Cockatiels can mimic many
sounds, such as the bleep of a car alarm, a ringing telephone, the sound
of a zipper, the beeping of cell phones or microwaves, or the calls of
other bird species such as blue jays or chickadees and loud weather like
thunder. They can also mimic other pets such as dogs, occasionally
barking back.
Although female cockatiels are not often known to speak, this is not
an absolute. Males have been known to mimic noises, words and sometimes
other animals. Females generally don't imitate speech, but tend to mimic
sounds such as telephones, washing machines, toilet flushes, etc.
Cockatiels that do imitate speech will usually mimic frequently heard
phrases, particularly of the individual to whom the bird feels closest.
Cockatiels can also recognize sounds, such as the sound of the
owner's vehicle as it parks nearby.
Feeding
Cockatiels will enjoy most human foods, and should be given
unsweetened cereals, rice, carrots, certain fruits, bread, and pasta.
Cockatiels should not be forced to eat any food they don't like, and
should never be permitted to consume chocolate or caffeine, nor
seeds from apples, avocados, peaches, pears, or cherries as the seeds
from these fruits are toxic. Cockatiels should also not be given any
food that has processed sugar in it, as this can cause the cockatiel to
exhibit hyperactivity, aggression, and other behavioral problems.
Cockatiels should be offered a variety of foods to keep the bird on a
nutritional diet. One problem that new owners may face is the cockatiel
"seed junky"; a bird who only eats millet sprays and seeds. One way to
avoid this is to limit the availability of millet seeds (such as
offering it as a treat to the bird once or twice a week) and instead
offer a mix of pellets, flavored seed balls, dry cereal, cooked
spaghetti, rice, and other foods. Cockatiels can eat small pieces of
freshly cooked lean beef, chicken or fish; tofu; pet biscuits, and any
vegetable that is meaty, dark green, orange, or yellow (high in vitamin
A) such as: carrots; sweet potatoes; beets; broccoli; legumes/beans;
frozen mixed vegetables; kale; greens (not lettuce); green peppers;
zucchini and other squash; asparagus; ripe tomatoes; dried hot peppers;
bean or alfalfa sprouts; spinach; and Brussels sprouts. Make sure that
any vegetable offered to a cockatiel is cleaned well, as small amounts
of pesticides may remain from the harvesting of the produce. Such
pesticides are toxic to the bird.
Food should be offered to the bird at room temperature. It is common
for a cockatiel to reject a sample of spaghetti if the food is too warm;
and then to feast on the pasta strings once it has cooled.
