Cockatiels make great first birds. These beautiful, intelligent and loving birds are a great beginner bird for various reasons that we will discuss in this article. Even though we classify cockatiels as a beginner bird, we must understand that they still require a great deal of attention, time and they can also be costly. If you have not yet read our article "I Want a Bird That Talks", please do so as I explain the proper way to choose the right bird in detail.
Why do Cockatiels make such great pets?
Cockatiels are arguably one of the most common pet birds in the United States. They are a small to medium sized bird that have captured the hearts of many people. They are relatively easy to keep and can be enjoyed by the whole family!
Highlight:
Male cockatiels can have a great vocabulary and can whistle several melodies. Males tend to do all the singing, chattering and talking in order to impress the female (or owner). It is important to note that usually only males perform these behaviors although some females have been observed.
Here are the reasons we believe Cockatiels make great pets:
Perfect Size. These birds are not too small or too big to manage. They are between a small to medium sized hookbill. Their size makes it great for a small home or apartment.
Relatively Quiet. Compared to other similar sized birds like the Quaker Parrot or Conures, Cockatiels are relatively quiet birds. Males have a louder call and whistle to impress it's mate however, it is manageable and one bird will not cause a disturbance.
Social in Nature. Cockatiels are very curious and hand fed birds are very friendly to their owners and the entire family. Hand fed birds love to be petted, scratched, touched and interact with other humans. These birds are gentle enough to be around supervised small children and humans at an advanced age. Cockatiel can be a very loving pet.
Beautiful Bird. Cockatiels are elegant and classy. If you look at a good specimen that is healthy and well cared for, you cannot help but notice the elegance these birds carry in themselves. They are clean looking birds and pleasing to the eye.
Easy to find. Cockatiels can be easy to find at a reasonable price of under $300 depending on the mutation color you choose. Average price of a cockatiel at the time of writing (Fall 2021), is roughly between $125 - $200. Some rarer mutations such as the emerald mutation can cost as high as $400. Needless to say, these prices are a lot more affordable than other similar medium sized parrots that can cost over $800.
All in all, we believe that cockatiels are excellent pets for a beginner parrot owner who wants a friendly, elegant looking hookbill for the entire family to enjoy for many years to come.
Charlie Plaza, at the age of 14, started his collection of birds in the United States. He purchased his first pet bird, an Indian Ringneck Parakeet from a pet store named Critter's Corner in Casselberry, FL for $175. This is where he met the pet store manager, Jeff, who introduced Charlie to the bird breeder, Linda Norris, who hatched his pet Ringneck. Charlie, as a young kid started working for Linda cleaning cages and assisting her in the labor of breeding exotic birds. Charlie quickly developed a passion for birds as he saw the joy that pet birds can bring to people. Charlie followed his passion for birds and started his long lasting career in the pet industry where he worked his way up to upper management at two of the largest, most successful pet specialty stores known today as Pet Supermarket and PetSmart. What once started as a hobby, CP Birds has become a well known national name in the aviculture community making hand fed, friendly birds more accessible to pet owners. Charlie has been a guest speaker at several local bird clubs, bird conventions and has trained many aviculturist in the care, husbandry and breeding of exotic birds.