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COCKATIELS - ADVICE FROM A BREEDER
by Linda Greeson of BlueQuaker.com
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So many books and articles have been written about Cockatiels I really hesitated for a long time
before presuming to add yet another. I have read just about everything that has been written
about these delightful little birds and feel that through my experience with them I can add some
information that has not already been covered, as well as briefly some of the well known basic
facts so widely presented.
There is good reason for the wealth of information currently available. Except for the Budgerigar,
the Cockatiel is rated as the most popular and widely kept of the approximately 340 species of
the order of psittacine birds. They are a hardier bird than their rival, the Budgie, and have a life
span of 15 to 20 years versus the Budgie's 7 to 8. They are gentle and sociable by nature and
have pert, bright personalities. They quickly pick up words and phrases and especially love to
whistle. Their speech may not be as clear as that of the larger birds, but they are by comparison
much less expensive. There is no more ideal pet for the novice than a young, hand fed Cockatiel.
For the breeder, especially those just starting this experience, the choice of Cockatiels is an
excellent one. Even though we have bred many varieties of larger exotic birds for many years
with considerable success, our prolific Cockatiels can always be depended on to pay their feed
bills. In addition to the financial return I have found that the study involved each year in making
the right decisions in setting up my breeding pairs to be all absorbing. When the these
decisions result in larger and more beautiful birds, this hobby almost becomes an addiction!
Having one of your own baby birds grow up to make the top bench at a show is thrilling beyond
words and inspires one to greater concentration on producing even better specimens each
following year.
GENERAL INFORMATION
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.
Some Orthinologists believe that the Cockatiel is really a Cockatoo which in the process of
evolution remained behind in size and came to look more like a parakeet than a "true parrot." It
also shows some characteristics of the Rosella species although in its living habits it more
strongly resembles the Cockatoo. 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.
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