Birds of Birdland: The Cockatiel

Known as the Cockatiel, the Quarrion, and the Weiro, this species of Cockatoo is native to Australia. They are a wonderful pet, and excellent parrot companion that is sought throughout the world as they are very easy to breed. In fact, as far as caged pet birds go, the Cockatiel is second only to the Parakete or Budgerigar.

The color of a Cockatiel will vary greatly in shade due to the melanin that provides the gray color in their feathers, eyes, beaks, and feet as well as the lipochromes that provide their yellow color throughout their faces, tails, and their orange cheek patches. Since the gray color will override the yellow and orange mostly, they are mainly grey with slight patches of color spread throughout their bodies. As males get older, the gray will diminish from their faces and they will start to show more yellow and orange.

The Cockatiel lives between 15-20 years, which makes it a wonderful companion for anyone, and there are reports of them living up to 30 years. With the proper diet and exercise, they cna easily live a very full and fun filled life with their owners.

Since they are regarded so highly as good pet birds to own, millions of people throughout the world hold them dear to their hearts. Every Cockatiel has a very different and unique personality, which also makes them an excellent pet. Sometimes these unique traits of different birds will also have an effect on how long they live and how well they get along with other birds. Some of them are extremely sociable, while others are shy and will head to the back of the cage when a stranger appears. But, if they are handled often by their owners, have owners who are patient with them and loving and caring, it is extremely easy to have them become quite tame faster than some of the other parrot species.

If you are considering getting a Cockatiel, make sure that you learn about the bird first. You'll want to make sure that you know what they like to eat, what is safe for them to play with, the best ways to handle them, and so on so that you don't accidentally hurt your new friend or make them sick.

Easy Ways to Bond With Your Bird

Taking time to bond with your bird is essential to building a long lasting and successful relationship with your pet. Birds are not domesticated and operate with a flock mentality, so forming a bond with your pet is crucial to helping him understand that you are his friend. The strength of the bond between you and your bird will greatly influence the quality of your pet's life, as well as your ownership experience. If you need help bonding with your bird, try these effective ways of helping shy birds warm up to you. They will likely help if you find that your relationship with your pet could use some work.

1. Try Sharing Meals With Your Bird - Sharing your food with your bird is a great way to help him see you as part of his flock. In the wild, bonded birds regurgitate food for one another, so sharing a meal can go a long way in helping your bird realize that you mean no harm. If you choose to offer your bird a tasty treat from your plate, make sure that the food you are sharing is free of salt and seasonings and is safe for birds to eat. If your bird is hesitant about trying a food at first, put a bite into his bowl and eat your portion in front of him. Speak softly and talk about how good the food is. Believe it or not, it often works!

2. Make Time to Socialize - Some birds, particularly those that have been rehomed or rescued, may not have had much exposure to humans during their lifetime. Worse still, some may have had very negative experiences concerning people. The best way to deal with problems like these is to desensitize the bird to your presence. If your bird gets nervous every time you come around, slowly start to take 5 to 10 minutes a day to sit near your bird and talk to him. Be careful not to make any sudden moves around the bird, and talk in a happy, animated voice. As your bird gets more comfortable around you, you can begin to spend longer periods of time with him.

3. Try Some Grooming Sessions - Grooming is the first thing in nature that forms a bond between families. Since the point of bonding with your bird is to get him to accept you as a family member, grooming can be a great way to get the message across if the bird will tolerate handling. If the bird will allow you to, try gently scratching the back of his head or helping him out with a few pinfeathers. Once your bird begins to trust you more, you may even decide to invest in a shower perch so that your feathered friend can join you in the tub!

4. Let the Music Move You - Wild birds have two main forms of communication: their voices, and body language. As bird owners, we can use this knowledge to help ourselves bond more closely with our captive pets. If it seems like your bird doesn't view you as much of a friend, then try singing some of your favorite songs to your pet and dancing around. It sounds a bit silly, but most birds can't resist joining in the fun. You may even want to play some of these popular songs about birds to help set the mood.

5. Try Some Good Old Fashioned Bribery - One way to entice shy birds out of the cage to play is to bribe them. Try making up a batch of homemade bird toys and place some in your pet's cage for him to enjoy. Make notes of the ones that seem to be his favorites, and then try "decorating" your shirt with them while standing near an open cage door. This may help your bird see how much fun you can be, and is sometimes an offer that even very timid birds can't refuse.