How Long do Cockatiels Live

The Cockatiel is a calm and affectionate bird. We never tire of seeing her have fun, express herself and flourish. The yellow crest on her head and the red-orange markings on her cheeks are among her physical characteristics of the Cockatiel, which is native to Australia.

Temperament: Calm  Sweet  Fun

How long do cockatiels live

• Life expectancy: 22 years
• Size: 32cm
• Weight: 80 to 110g

Physical Characteristics of the Cockatiel

Coat / Colors: The crest is yellow and rises above part of its head. Two red-orange spots mark the cheeks. The edge of the wing is white. The male has a yellow mask, unlike the female which also has stripes under the tail and yellow markings under the wing. There are many varieties of mutations in the Cockatiels. : Perlée, Albino, Variegated or Lutino.

• Size: 32cm
• Weight: 80 to 110g
• Size: Small Breeds
• Plumage: Very dark anthracite gray that can almost go to black

Behavior and character of the Cockatiel Parakeet

• Sociable
• Ease of training
• Ability to speak/repeat words
• Quality of pronunciation
• Ability to sing

Naturally gregarious, the cockatiel is very sociable if you interact with it a lot during its growth. As with all parrots, more than one person should raise and educate the chicks to prevent them from bonding with just one person.

The female cockatiel likes to be petted, while the male likes to be picked up but not petted.

Besides all the qualities noticed in Cockatiels, it is good to know that they are noisy birds. We do not recommend them if you live in an apartment or if you or those around you cannot stand the noise.

Ability to sing and speak

The male cockatiel whispers and hisses melodies while the female is rather quiet. These parakeets are not very talkative bird species but the male is generally more curious and lively

Cockatiel parakeet living conditions

The cockatiel needs a spacious cage at home. The minimum dimensions we recommend are at least W50cm x D50cm x H149cm to allow him to move and do some physical activity. Choose a cage with horizontal bars to encourage him to climb, and with an open roof. Provide play areas for him to exercise. The ideal is to have an indoor aviary made using small wire mesh. The cockatiel being a fairly active bird, it needs to spread its wings and fly for at least one hour a day.

Cage Accessories

Leave at his disposal a swing, toys, a ladder, twigs to allow him to exercise. Like many parrots, the cockatiel likes to nibble on anything that passes under its beak.

Where to place his cage?

Your cockatiel’s cage should always be placed away from direct sunlight, too cold or too hot temperatures.

Lighting

The cockatiel needs 8 to 12 hours a day of natural light or full-spectrum lighting. She needs 12 hours of uninterrupted rest, especially the female. At night, it is best to put a night lamp on him and remove his toys.

Living conditions in the wild

The Cockatiel lives almost everywhere in Australia except near coastal areas. It has been introduced to Tasmania. This parakeet frequents savannas and pastures but also urban areas.

Cockatiel life expectancy

• Minimum life expectancy: 13 years
• Maximum life expectancy: 30 years

Feeding the cockatiel

Its diet is made up of 60% complete food in granules. You can offer him 30% millet in bunches and a Tropimix-type egg mixture. Keep 10% to bring him fruits, vegetables, a little rice or pasta. Besides the fact that a diet consisting only of seeds can lead to obesity, your Cockatiel can develop calcium and vitamin deficiencies. Tropican and Tropimix mixtures are recognized and of good quality for parrots and parakeets.

Characteristics of the Cockatiel

• Origin: Australia
• Scientific name: Nymphicus hollandicus
• Class: Aves
• Order: Psittaciformes
• Family: Cacatuidae
• IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern (LC)
• Dimensions of the cage: L50cm x D50cm x H149cm

Reproduction of the cockatiel

The cockatiel bird lays 3 to 7 eggs which hatch from the 18th day. The male broods during the day while the female broods at night. In the wild, breeding takes place during the rainy season. The brooding outside can vary between 16 and 22 days depending on the temperatures.

Check out: Why should Nurturing Birds be an Integral Part of Your Routine?