Cockatiel

Nymphicus hollandicus · The cockatiel is the smallest member of the cockatoo family, a small parrot native to Australia.

Also called Weero, Quarrion, Weiro.

Cockatiel
Photo: Ganatron, CC BY-SA 4.0
Cockatiel
Photo: CatBird01, CC BY-SA 4.0
Cockatiel
Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/), CC BY-SA 4.0

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassAves
OrderPsittaciformes
FamilyCacatuidae
GenusNymphicus
SpeciesNymphicus hollandicus

Where it lives

Dry scrub, grassland and outback wetlands across inland Australia.

Fun facts

  • A cockatiel's crest shows its mood: straight up when startled or excited, gently slanted when relaxed, and flat against the head when angry or defensive.
  • Wild cockatiels are nomadic, moving to wherever food and water are available, and sometimes hundreds gather around a single body of water.
  • Both male and female cockatiels have round orange patches on their ears, often nicknamed "cheddar cheeks".
  • Cockatiels have long tail feathers that make up roughly half of their total length, unlike most cockatoos.

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Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).