The Cockatiel
has been well established in European Aviaries for well over
100 years and can now be found in every country where birds
are bred. It is not known exactly when they were first imported
but it is recorded as first being bred in captivity as long
ago as 1845 and it is said that they became popular as pets
about forty years later. The name Cockatiel is thought to
be an English adaptation of a Dutch sailors' pronunciation
of the Portugese word "cacatitho", meaning a little
cockatoo. The scientific name Nymphicus hollandicus has been
in general use since the 1950's. In Australia they are called
Quarrion. Although the original breeding was done in Europe,
at present there are a larger number of Cockatiel fanciers
here in the United States. Birds from American aviaries are
far superior to the European, in both size and health. The
first mutations were developed in our country, so we can really
take credit for the superior Cockatiel of today. In Australia
where these birds are very numerous they are found in almost
the entire continent excepting those areas nearest the coast.
In the
wild the Cockatiels usually live in pairs or in small groups
of four to twelve birds. Rarely large groups of up to several
hundred have been noted. They often migrate from one feeding
ground to another. It is only when the ripening grasses offer
them sufficient food to signal the start of their breeding
season that they remain in one area for any length of time.
In the arid outback of Australia the availability of water
often determines their wandering pattern.
Their
nest is usually found in a hole or hollow in a thick, moldy
branch or trunk of a dead tree. They are clever about strategically
placing their nests to provide a position with a good lookout
for possible predators. They are often found nesting in the
same tree as Budgies and Cockatoos. They lay their eggs on
a bed of decayed wood or wood chips placed in the bottom of
their saucer shaped nesting hole. In the wild they eat seeds,
leaves, bark, fruits and berries.
After
a rainy season the grasses in Australia grow quite tall. The
movement of the grasses as the birds feed on the ground is
a signal of their presence to their enemies. Because of this,
as a defense, they routinely fly upward in a quick flight.
They are easily the fastest flyers of the Australian parrots.
Their torpedo shaped body and the long, slim, well muscled
wings makes rapid flight possible. When the wild bird decides
to return to the ground his descent is rapid and in a perpendicular
line. He seems to fall to the ground like a stone; only a
few yards from the ground does he spread his tail and wings,
using them like the flaps on an airplane. We notice that in
the large walk in flights where our resting birds are housed,
even after many generations of domesticity, these flight habits
still persist.
COCKATIELS
AS PETS
The Cockatiel
is an ideal selection for the first time pet owner. In comparison
to other exotic birds the initial investment is small and
the return in satisfaction is large. They are characteristically
happy and cheerful birds, never moody or demanding. Their
whistle is soft and their gentle, sensitive natures make them
a good choice for youngsters.
In order
to be readily tamed the cockatiel should be taken into the
home situation when very young. A hand fed baby, just weaned,
will rapidly adjust to its new surroundings and be completely
relaxed with his new owner in a matter of days. Hopefully,
in the handfeeding and weaning process he has been taught
to sample a variety of foods and has been sufficiently handled
by humans to develop trust and confidence.
The minimum
size cage for a Cockatiel who has the opportunity for frequent
exercise outside his cage is 18 inches x 18 inches x 18 inches.
This allows room for flapping of the wings and moving about.If
the bird is to be generally confined to his cage a minimum
of 36 inches in length, 18 inches in width, and 24 inches
in height allows him additional room to fly back and forth.
The bars should be no more than three quarters of an inch
apart for his safety and should run horizontally across the
front and back for ease in climbing. Add a swing and a few
brightly colored toys and your bird will have a happy home.
DIET
Good
nutrition is an all important factor in maintaining your bird's
health. We feed our cockatiels mainly on pelleted foods. We
know that with each morsel the bird consumes there is a perfect
balance of all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that
he requires. Many pet owners and breeders prefer to feed various
seed mixtures formulated for cockatiels but these have the
disadvantage of allowing the bird to select his favorites,
resulting in the daily discarding of a good portion of the
food that is required for a balanced diet. Our birds enjoy
frequent treats -greens in all acceptable forms, corn muffins
or soft breads, etc. Canned kernel type corn is a special
favorite and a spray of millet is always pounced on with joy.
Cockatiels
can easily be taught to say simple phrases and are especially
talented at learning to whistle little tunes. Their voices
have a reedy quality much like the voice of a small child.
Males in general are usually more vocal but there are many
individual variations. They all love to be cuddled and petted
and rapidly become completely devoted to an attentive owner.
