Interesting Cockatiel Facts

Origins: The Australian continent.
Original Species Name: Nymphicus hollandicus.
Average Size: 12 to 14 inches long
Average Weight: From 88 to 178 grams.
Average Life: 16-25 years.
Best Nutrition: variety is the key, fresh veggies and fruits, seeds & pellets.
Vocals: They rather whistling than talking. Males are the best.
Popularity: One of the most popular pet birds in the US.
Sexual Maturity: 12 to 24 months.
Egg Incubation Time: 17 to 24 days
Weaning Age for Chicks: 8 weeks.
Eggs: Average laid 5 to 10
Average cost: $40 to $150
Vet Visits: At least once a year for a full check up
Points of Interest.
Males have great vocal abilities and females are fairly quiet.
Females are more aggressive and they are more likely to hiss and bite.
If you put a mirror in the cage, a female looses its interest faster than a male.
Male cockatiels are better at parenting. While the mothers are responsible for hatching the eggs and caring for the newborn chicks, the male cockatiel doesn’t fly off and abandon them, either. In fact, they are quite protective of their family, and in the wild, will face much larger birds and predators just to keep them safe. They are also nurturing and affectionate with their young. In cases when the mother cockatiel was killed, or injured, the father quite capably steps in and assumes all the parenting duties.
Cockatiels are extremely social birds. They have a need for social interaction. A single bird will get more attached to its keeper but if you are not at home a lot it is best to get two birds. It is a fact that two birds of the same sex get along just as well as a mixed pair. Even more so if the cockatiels were introduced while they are still young.