Facts About Cockatiels!

The elegant Calopsitte (Nymphicus hollandicus) or simply the cockatiel is an Australian bird species. It is the only species of the genus Nymphicus. Similar in size to a small pigeon, the squid is often used as a companion bird, although quite noisy. Although sometimes called parakeet, it is part of the same family as cockatoos.

This bird measures from 30 to 35 cm in length in the wild (up to 37 to 40 cm with a large hoopoe in captive breeding stock) for a mass of 80 to 100 g. Its plumage is anthracite grey, very dark and almost black. The hoopoe and part of the head are yellow. Two orange-red spots mark the cheeks. The wing mirror is white (spot on the edge of the wing). The female does not have the yellow mask, has streaks under the tail and yellow dots under the wings. The young look like the female. There is the talk of a lifespan of about 15 years, but some birds can live up to 30 years.

Cockatiel Changes in captivity

Mutations allow enthusiasts to obtain varieties of different colors of the wild phenotype, including by combining these colors. In detail below, the heredity of each mutation is mentioned in parentheses: (RLS) for recessive sex-related, (RA) for autosomal recessive, (DA) for autosomal dominant, and (CDA) for autosomal co-dominant.

Ino (EPIRB) is a mutation that removes melanins (grey and black pigments), resulting in birds with a more or less uniform yellow appearance. The cheeks remain orange and their size or intensity of color has nothing to do with sex.

Cinnamon (RLS) prevents the oxidation of melanin, which remains brown instead of turning grey-black.

The white face (RA) is a mutation known as the blue series mutation that removes all psittacines (yellow and red pigments). The bird is therefore grey and white.

The pale face (RA) is an incomplete white face (the mutations responsible for these two varieties are on the same gene). Psittacines are therefore suppressed.

Bronze fallow (RA) dilutes melanin by making it light brown, with bright red eyes.

Ashen fallow (RA) dilutes melanin by making it light grey in males and darker grey in females, with red eyes.

Opaline (RLS) alters the distribution of melanin on the feather by providing a beaded pattern that only young and female birds possess. Adult males have the wild phenotype.

Yellow cheek (RLS) transforms red psittacine into yellow psittacine.

The edged (CDA) changes the distribution of melanin on each feather of the wing, back and body cover by sparing the head. Melanin is pushed back to the edge of the feather.

The blended mutation is the first fixed mutation in this bird. It is characterized by the suppression of melanin on plumage at random. This mutation is a free or autosomal recessive mutation, so both parents must bring the gene for their offspring to be mixed.

White Napped (WN) is characterized by a more or less extensive yellow area behind the head and has nothing to do with blended mutation.

By combining mutations, birds with the characteristics of each mutation are obtained. For example, a bird that is both face-white and into becomes albino (pure white).

Cockatiel Diet

Cockatiels feed on seeds from different grasses, such as millet, sunflower and many other seeds. They eat many fruits and vegetables of all kinds as well as some starchy foods.

This video show what foods cockatiels love to eat.

Cockatiel Distribution and Habitat

The cockatiels are almost all over Australia but not the coastal areas. It was introduced into Tasmania.

This bird is found in savannahs and pastures, but also in urban areas.

Behaviour of cockatiels

Cockatiels often perched in groups on trees. They live in flocks of about 50 birds, and couples, like inseparable couples, remain united all their lives, even outside of breeding periods.

Cockatiel’s Reproduction

Egg laying is 3 to 7 eggs that hatch after about 20 to 22 days. The male broods during the day and the female at night. The parents continue to feed the young after their flight for about a month.

Reproduction in the wild is conditioned by the arrival of rain. Breeding, depending on the outside temperature, can vary from 16 to 22 days.