There are numerous types of cockatiels that contribute to their status as the second most popular pet birds in the world. Known for being friendly, social, and intelligent, they have the remarkable ability to mimic human speech, ambient noises, and even music when trained. With an average lifespan of 15 years in captivity, they form profound bonds with their owners over time.
This article discusses the variations of cockatiel that are available today for sale. Cockatiels have been bred for over a century in order to find different plumage colors and types.
You’ll learn about the prevalence of each coloration type, what kind of genes control its coloration, and any other factors that affect its life and temperament. If males and females look different, we’ll note that too. Keep reading to get started.
Basic Cockatiel Characteristics
Before we list off the 12 types of cockatiels sold today as pets, let’s go over the basics. Cockatiels are medium-sized members of the order Psittaciformes. This order describes parrots. They measure about 12” to 13” tall and weigh about 3 ounces.
Most cockatiels are descendants from the gray cockatiel, which is the most common color, or morph. This morph, as well as others, has a red cheek spot underneath the eye. All cockatiels have long tail feathers.
Cockatiels have a crest of long, slender feathers that they can fluff up or smooth down depending on their moods. The best way to determine the emotional state of a cockatiel is by looking at its crest.
They flatten the crest when they are angry and let it stand up straight when excited. There are a multitude of intermediate positions that describe various moods.
12 Types of Cockatiels
When making this list of cockatiel morphs, we’ve tried to keep with the chronological development of each morph, from first seen to most recently bred.
1. The Gray Cockatiel
The Gray cockatiels were the birds first identified by European explorers upon their expeditions through the foliage of the Australian continent back in the early 1800s. They normally have a gray body, a yellow face with orange cheek dots, and white bars on the wings.
All subsequent color morphs of cockatiels originate from the gray cockatiel. The gray genes are dominant, so they take precedence over recessive genes.
It’s only when two gray cockatiel parents both have recessive genes that a chick with recessive coloration is hatched. Other types of mutations are sex-linked and lutino / albino genes.
Continual captive breeding of cockatiels for the last century has led to the discovery of mutations, many of which are still being explored today.
2. Pied Cockatiel
The Pied is a word t