🐾 Cockatiel

Cockatiel

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Who it is

• Scientific name: Nymphicus hollandicus
• Family & relatives: A small parrot from Australia and the smallest member of the cockatoo family.
• How to spot it: A slim gray parrot with a tall pointed crest, round orange cheek patches, and a long tail.

Its body & abilities

• Size: About 30 to 33 cm long including its long tail.
• Weight: Around 80 to 100 g, about as light as a small apple.
• Body & adaptations: Its head crest rises and falls to show its mood, and it has a curved beak for cracking seeds.
• Top speed: A quick, agile flier that can zip around a room in swift, darting loops.
• Strength: Strong little wings and clever feet let it fly well and climb all over its cage and perches.
• Senses: Sharp eyesight and good hearing; it loves music and can learn to copy tunes and whistles.
• Growing up: Chicks hatch from eggs with fluffy down, open their eyes in about a week, and can fly at four to five weeks.

Where it lives

• Habitat: In the wild it lives in dry open country; as a pet it lives in a roomy cage in the home.
• Where in the world: Native to Australia and kept as a pet bird worldwide.
• Territory: A pair may guard a nest hollow; pet birds treat their cage and play area as home.

What it eats

• Diet: A seed and pellet eater that also enjoys fresh fruit and vegetables and needs clean water daily.
• Favorite foods: Seeds, bird pellets, leafy greens, and bits of fruit like apple and berries.
• How it hunts: Not a hunter; it forages for seeds and grasses on the ground and in trees.

How it behaves

• How it moves: Flies swiftly, walks and hops along branches, and climbs using its beak and feet.
• When it is active: Active by day, singing and playing in the morning and evening and resting at night.
• Family life: Very social and friendly, living in flocks in the wild and bonding closely with its human family.
• How it talks: Whistles, chirps, and calls, and males often learn tunes; a hiss and raised crest mean it feels unsure.
• Babies: A female lays about four to seven eggs, and both parents take turns keeping them warm for about three weeks.

Its place in nature

• Role in nature: In the wild it spreads seeds; as a pet it is a cheerful, gentle companion.
• Conservation: Listed as Least Concern in the wild, and it is one of the most popular pet birds.
• Dangers: It needs safe, non-toxic surroundings and a warm draft-free home to stay healthy.

Life & legacy

• How long it lives: Often about 15 to 20 years with good care, sometimes even longer.
• In our culture: One of the world's best-loved pet birds, famous for whistling favorite tunes.
• Where to see it: In homes as a pet, at bird shows, and in the wild across Australia.
• Fun fact: Male cockatiels can learn to whistle whole songs to greet their favorite people.