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Cockatiel, orQuarrion, orWeiro(Nymphicus hollandicus)
Phylum —chordata
Class — aves
Order — psittaciformes
Family — cacatuidae
Genus – nymphicus
Appearance
The cockatiel's distinctive erectile crest expresses the animal's emotional state. The crest is dramatically vertical when the cockatiel is startled or excited, gently oblique in its neutral or relaxed state, and flattened close to the head when the animal is angry or defensive. The crest is also held flat but protrudes outward in the back when the cockatiel is trying to appear alluring or flirtatious. When the cockatiel is tired, the crest is seen positioned halfway upwards, with the tip of the crest usually curling upward.
In contrast to most cockatoos, the cockatiel has long tail feathers roughly making up half of its total length. At 30 to 33 cm (12 to 13 in), the cockatiel is the smallest of the cockatoos which are generally larger at between 30 and 60 cm (12 and 24 in).
The "normal grey" or "wild-type" cockatiel's plumage is primarily grey with prominent white flashes on the outer edges of each wing. The face of the male is yellow or white, while the face of the female is primarily grey or light grey, and both sexes feature a round orange area on both ears, often referred to as "cheddar cheeks". This orange coloration is generally vibrant in adult males, and often quite muted in females. Visual sexing is often possible with this variant of the bird.
Habitat
Cockatiels are native to Australia, where they are found largely in arid or semi-arid country but always close to water.
Behavior
Cockatiels are exceptionally social birds, establishing pair bonds early on and usually feeding and moving together in groups of several birds to larger flocks of up to several thousand. Migratory patterns are region-specific; northern Australia’s wetter climates have more nomadic cockatiel populations, continually relocating to fresh water and food, while the weather patterns of southern Australia offer more predictability, thus southern cockatiels seasonally migrate in groups. Cockatiels are timid by nature and exhibit several preferences in nesting habits, foraging habits, and more. With no prevalent natural defense mechanisms, cockatiels always choose flight when a threat is perceived; they are able to attain speeds in excess of 40 miles per hour in the air. Cockatiel feathers serve many important physiological purposes and often feather presentation in cockatiels is indicative of mood; cockatiels contract feathers to appear very thin when frightened, and puff them out when content. Feathers serve as the means through which flight is achieved, but also provide insulation to conserve body heat; cockatiels must maintain internal body temperatures in excess of 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius). Outer feathers are waterproofed. This is achieved through preening, which can constitute a substantial portion of a cockatiel’s daily routine. Cockatiels waterproof their outer feathers by making direct beak contact with their uropygials or sebaceous glands, which secrete an oily substance that they then manually coat their feathers with. Cockatiels have a powder down composed of keratin. This powder down serves to further waterproof feathers, but is removed in excess through preening. Large clouds of dust can be seen coming from perching cockatiels as they shake themselves after a preening session. A final important aspect of preening comes in the contents of oil secreted from the uropygial. This oil contains vitamin D precursors that coat feathers; these precursors when exposed to sunlight activate to produce vitamin D, which is essential for calcium absorption. Cockatiels ingest this synthesized vitamin D while preening.
Diet
These birds are herbivores, and feed primarily on plants. The vast majority of their diet consists of seeds, though they do eat fruits, berries, flowers, and more.
Reproduction
Cockatiels are monogamous and form relationships with a mate early on. These bonds serve for more than reproductive purposes - pairs stay together and remain loyal to one another throughout the entire year. Because cockatiels remain paired throughout the year, they readily proceed to breeding without expending energy to find a suitable mate.Cockatiel breeding is tied to seasonal changes, the most important being rainfall. Large spring rainfalls assure plentiful food supplies and usually trigger mating events.
As secondary cavity nesters, cockatiels nest in large tree hollows, where pairs typically claim an entire tree. They prefer dead eucalypts approximately 2 meters above the ground and close to a source of freshwater; these snags riddled with cracks are favored as they are less likely to become flooded with water during periods of excess rainfall. Upon obtaining an adequate nest hole and after safety inspections by the male, mating can commence. Females oviposit as soon as four days after finding a nest hole, and clutch sizes generally average from four to seven eggs, which are laid every other day. Female cockatiels are indeterminate egg-layers, having the ability to replace lost or broken eggs with more. Hence, if nutritional demands are sustained, females can continue to lay eggs until a clutch of appropriate size is established. Eggs are incubated for 17 to 23 days and chicks are independent and leave the nest by five weeks, though sexual maturity is not reached until 13 months in males and 18 months in females.
Cockatiels have a strong parental drive and both parents share responsibilities in the hatching and raising of chicks.
In captivity
The cockatiel's lifespan in captivity is generally given as 16 to 25 years.
The cockatiel is one of the most popular pet birds you can find today. This friendly and relatively easy to train Australian parrot is an all time favorite not only because of its personality but also because of its availability and affordable price. Cockatiels are second in popularity only to the budgerigar.
This bird's personality makes them easy to bond with their human caretakers, and if you are not careful, they can get very spoiled by demanding your attention all the time.
If you are looking for a parrot that talks and can learn a wide variety of words, then the cockatiel is NOT the right bird for you. While once in a while they might learn a word or two, whistling is much easier for them.
Caring for your bird is very important, choose a cage at least twice the size of your cockatiel's wingspan, a minimum of 18 x 22 x 18 inches. If you will be keeping more than one in the cage, increase the cage size accordingly. Cage should include at least 2 perches of different heights, thickness and texture. These variations help keep your bird's feet healthy. Don't put a perch directly above the bird's food or water bowl; droppings are likely to land there. Layer the floor of the cage with corncob, aspen or recycled-paper bedding, or a cage liner. Spot clean the bedding frequently and completely change it at least once a month.
A well balance diet also plays a very important role on your bird's health. The birds' food bowl should be three-quarters full of feed birdseed and refresh it daily. Be sure to remove empty seed hulls from the food dish. Offer your cockatiel fruit such as apple, banana or melon once a week. Offer your cockatiel a honey stick or millet spray once a month as a special treat. Your bird needs access to fresh, clean water at all times and it's important to clean the water bowl every day.
Make sure you have the time to interact with your cockatiel as they are very social and they love company and play time. Toys designed to be destroyed by small beaks are perfect for these birds and include pieces of paper, cardboard of soft wood or non-toxic rawhide to chew up. It's important to keep your bird busy but by all means, do not overcrowd the cage with all kind of toys, it could be harmful for your bird as they can get injured form not being able to extent their wings.
