Description
Life span: Up to 20 years
The gray cockatiel has an orange cheek patch, a yellow face, and a yellow crest. The male’s face has more vibrant and vibrant colors. The underside of the female’s tail feathers is barred. The most prevalent varieties include albino, lutino, pied, pearl, laced, opaline, cinnamon, fawn, or silver.
Habitat/Native Region
Australia’s semiarid regions are home to cockatiels. The reason cockatiels don’t have the piercing screech of parrots from dense jungle habitats may be due to their open surroundings. In the wild, cockatiels graze on the ground in search of food. In comparison to most other parrot species, cockatiels are more frequently available as pets and are less expensive since they breed easily both in the wild and in captivity.
As Pet
Behavior
A cockatiel’s mood can be inferred by the position of its crest feathers. Straight crest feathers may be an indication of a startled or intensely curious bird. A protective cockatiel will keep its crest feathers flattened and close to its head, and it may hiss as well. A cockatiel that is happily grinding will have fluffed cheek feathers and slightly held-back crest feathers.
Cockatiels prefer toys made to be damaged by tiny beaks, such as scraps of paper, cardboard, soft wood, or non-toxic rawhide. Hard plastic beads and other toys are popular with cockatiels as well. It’s common for male cockatiels to whistle at mirrors and other shiny surfaces. When a cockatiel is out of its cage, take particular precaution to prevent walking on it and to make sure that other animals, like cats or dogs, can’t get to it because they may be prone to flying down from their cage.
Care
Being sociable creatures, cockatiels flourish when given the chance to engage with people, whether it’s by having their cheek feathers softly stroked, being conversed with, or simply being in the same room as the owner. A cockatiel needs a cage that is roomy enough for various perches, toys, and food bowls, as well as enough room for its wings to flap without bumping into anything. Since cockatiels can be flighty birds, a cage with a broad door front is perfect since it enables returning a cockatiel to its cage easier. If given the opportunity, cockatiels will naturally forage on the ground, so line the bottom of their cage with newspaper and spread crumbled treats or millet sprinkle seed for them to locate.
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