Cockatoo vs Cockatiel

What is Cockatielvs Cockatoo as a pet?

It’s not easy to think about a new member joining your united family. This is a deliberate decision, as it commits you to life. Indeed, parrots are similar birds, native to the same family of “Cacatuidae”.

Taxonometry unites them. In reality, both species of parrots are beautiful. They are native to Australia or Oceania. All these gallant birds have a hooked beak, distinctive wings, and tails. These adorable pets are very affectionate and intelligent. They attach strongly to their caring owners and are intuitive to train. However, the difference is significant.

Is cockatoo a parrot?

Naturally, this is one of the 21 best-known parrot species. Friendly cockatiels also fall into this common category. However, it is easy to distinguish these two distinct birds. Size is an important criterion, but not a determining one.

Large and noisy cockatoos generally have less colorful plumage than their flying congeners. They have a solid (plain) coloration. The most popular feather shades are:

• White;
• grey;
• black;
• pink or yellow.

Bright yellow, red, or dark blue birds are less common, but you may see them occasionally. Spots of other shades are dumb and small. On the contrary, cockatoos are bright and colorful.

How big is a cockatoo?

In fact, you might like these fun creatures. Most of them are beautiful, with movable head ridges, curved forward. Their plumage is quite attractive. However, a cockatoo is not the ideal animal for a small apartment. If you live in a tiny studio of 350 to 500 square feet, it may annoy you.

The length of the bird is 20-24 inches. Of course, this is not a problem. You may love your medium or large birds, as well as domestic dogs or cats. A pair of cockatoos need a cage 48 inches wide, at least. It must be 72 inches tall or more. In addition, these birds are quite demanding.

Are cockatoos perfect pets?

Opinions were divided on this subject. But there are many examples of hand-fed, tamed cockatoos that can become your companions for life. They are even more affectionate and gentle than cockatiels. The birds become cuddly and become strongly attached to you.

At the same time, they are moody and emotional avian pets. In a small apartment, cockatiels can become noisy, dusty or garish. These stunning exotic birds are good at learning tricks and imitating sounds. They do this if you devote a lot of time and attention to them. Also, you can not leave cockatoos alone for a long time. They may become depressed and feel lonely.

What are the most popular avian pets?

Before adopting a pair of cockatoos, think twice. These adorable parrots are of stupid sociability. They require a lot of your time, effort, and attention. These large birds need at least three hours to get out of their cages, exercise, and interact with you. In addition, they are quite noisy.

That same morning, they can wake up your neighbors by shouting or mimicking sounds. Smaller pet birds are common in the United States. They are very common and easy to keep. How big is a cocktail? Sweetie is about 30 cm long now. Yo-Yo’s size is about 14 inches. Nevertheless, even in a small apartment, my adorable pets can fly and feel safe.

Do you leave avian animals alone?

If you’re an experienced pet owner, it can be easy to get along with cockatoos. These pet birds are fun, funny, intuitive to train, and affectionate. Are you going to leave them for a day, to go to work? Your avian pets might enjoy watching movies or grilling other birds out the window.

How big should a cockatiel cage be? It will find enough room in your cozy home. In reality, you will not leave your feathered friend for a week, to go on vacation. It would be intense stress for them. Cockatoos are even more aggressive and demanding. 7-8 hours are their limits. Without attention, cockatoos can develop neurotic behavior.

Will you be traveling with your pets?

To put it bluntly, you won’t limit your travels and career opportunities because of your parrots. How long do cockatiels live in captivity? Spending 20 or 25 years with your beloved pets is long-term. How often do you move? I assume you do it every 5 or 6 years, at least.

Last year, I went on vacation with my feathered friends. It’s not easy, but it’s possible to travel with them, even by car. You will need several essential things, such as

• A durable travel baby carrier;
• Soft perches inside;
• Reliable seat belts;
• A blanket or light sheet to cover the cage.

On the contrary, Cockatoos are too big and noisy to travel.

How to get along with a nasty parrot?

Talkative and emotional, cockatoo can’t stand boredom. They need a lot of exercise and attention. A minimum of 3 to 4 hours of play per day is required. Otherwise, cockatoos can become self-destructive or aggressive. They begin to tear off their beautiful feathers or destroy their toys.

Are you able to maintain this daily routine for 50 to 60 years? Adopting a very young parrot, you need to feed it by hand. After taming it, start the training sessions. These charming birds are not easy to handle and breed. Some species of cockatoos are even smaller and quieter than others.

Common types of cockatoos

Just like your curious cockatiels, cockatoos love to play. They do tricks and imitate various sounds. However, they can destroy fragile toys or cages. These birds are quite strong. They have resistant beaks.

On the other hand, some species of cockatoos are quite popular avian pets. They include:

• Yellow-crested Cockatoo
• White Cockatoo
• Moluccan Cockatoo
• Banksian Cockatoo
• Ducorps’s Cockatoo
• Funeral cockatoo
• Philippine Cockatoo
• Long-billed corella
• Rosalbin cockatoo
• Black Cockatoo 

Compare them with your avian pets. What is the lifespan of cockatiels? Their lifespan is 15-20 years under safe and favorable conditions. The galah cockatoo (pink-breasted) can live up to 70-80 years in captivity. These birds are distinguished by their impressive pink coloring. They are not too tall, measuring 12 to 15 inches, but are quite bold and noisy.

Cockatoo lifespan

• cockatiel: 10 – 14 ans
• White cockatoo: 40 – 60 years
• Galah: 40 years
• Sulfur-crested cockatoo: 20 – 40 years
• Red-tailed black cockatoo: 45 – 50 years
• Carnaby’s black cockatoo: 25 – 50 years
• Baudin’s black cockatoo: 25 – 50 years

Umbrella Cockatoo vs Sulfur Crested Cockatoo

Are there any calm and easy-going species of cockatoos? Cockatoos are calmer and smaller than their avian congeners. Coming from the Indonesian island of Sumba, these species need to be acclimatized. They are remarkably beautiful, with their orange crest and off-white body. However, these pets are stupid, curious, and nervous.

Sulfur-crested cockatoos have an impressive yellowish head crest. Separate yellow spots and feathers may also be available. These birds are less independent and more difficult to handle. A white talking bird or umbrella cockatoo is large in size but suitable for the family. These avian pets are gentle and affectionate. They like to mimic words and get along quite well with older children.

Cockatoo and macaw

Do you want to adopt other exotic birds? Macaws are even larger, noisier, and stronger than cockatoos. An adult pet bird can measure up to 40 inches. It weighs over 3 pounds. These birds, therefore, need giant, safe cages and strong, mind-stimulating toys.

Are cockatiels good pets? If you have no experience in this field, this is an ideal choice. These mischievous birds will become your loyal friends for many years to come. I love my avian pets. Sweetie and Yo-Yo, Nigel and Loki, they take up a lot of my time and attention. However, they feel comfortable and safe. Unlike cockatoos or macaws, they can live in townhouses or apartments.

What are the types of cockatiels?

It is not possible to confuse these magnificent birds. Macaws also vary in species or type. But their feathers are still colored, with bright green, yellow, dark blue, and red spots. Large birds can live only in special aviaries. Outdoor enclosures are good in summer. Indoor ones are needed in brick weather.

Cacatua species differ in their prominent head ridges. Cockatiels are not only recognizable by their size. These birds with long tail feathers have specific wide bottoms. Quite naturally, every feathered friend has a singular appearance and behavior. He or she has his or her own personality, character, and preferences. However, only one type of cockatiel exists. Their mutations or colors vary.

Cockatiel Mutation

• Yellow cockatiel
• Pearl cockatiel
• Cockatiel white face
• Yellow cockatiel

Are Calopsitte colorings special?

In adopting these adorable avian pets, you may want to study them. All these birds belong to the type Nymphicus hollandicus. Naturally, there are different pigmentations and mutations. How would you recognize them? Frankly, you will not do a genetic test.

Bright, orange, or yellow cheek spots unlock the secret of the parrot type. Let me say that an albino cockatiel or lutino usually has a bright yellow head. The sexes of both birds have a similar appearance, with yellow dots and bars on the body. Normally, cockatiels have thinner head ridges than large and impressive parrots. It informs you about the mood and feelings of your lit pet.

Normal grey cockatiels vs cinnamon

Real conversation, differentiating your feathered friends makes the difference. Let me say that lutino or yellow cockatiels usually have white or light yellow bodies. This is a fairly popular mutation. These bright little birds are adorable and pleasant. Sweetie and Yo-Yo fall into this category, and they are very friendly.

The color of the normal gray cockatiel is original. They are quite widespread in nature. These lit birds have feathers of a gray color. Smart yellowish faces and bright orange cheek spots go without saying. That’s how my darlings Loki and Nigel look. Cinnamon birds have somewhat darker, silvery-brown bodies.

I can’t tame my cockatiel

If you want to adopt a distinctive bird, subsequent mutations are available. For example, a pearl cockatiel is distinguished by unique patterns of white and yellow spots. Your male mates may look duller than their mates. In the meantime, mutations or colorations generally do not determine the behavior of cockatiels.

Fortunately, they are much calmer, and easier to keep and train than large birds. A frightened or stressed bird may hiss or bite you. Try to take your time with dressage, making sure your beautiful bird is:

• At ease;
• In good health;
• Happy;
• Entertained;
• Well-fed.

Talk softly to your beloved pets and offer them their favorite treats.

Can we keep cockatoos and small cockatiels together?

If you want to train your dear feathered friends, be patient. Cockatiels are small, dumb, gentle birds. If they trust you, they will be calm, obedient, and playful. They can imitate words and do tricks, but only after long and painstaking work. Do at least two training sessions a day. Do this when your bird is comfortable and in a good mood.

What about cockatoos or macaws? Large birds are curious and intelligent, like cockatoos. However, they do not bear the stress of captivity as easily. Be careful with these animals, move slowly, and talk gently to your pets. And, to put it bluntly, try to keep the different pet birds in separate cages or aviaries. A large and strong cockatoo can become aggressive and hurt your cherished cockatiel.

Will you recognize your pets?

Of course, you will recognize it. By adopting young chicks and feeding them by hand, you get by. In time, you will understand their actions. A cheerful hiss or shaking of the head conveys the emotions and mood of the bird.

Do cockatiels recognize their owners? To be honest, yes. Every day they wait for you to come home and greet you happily. If you leave them for a week, they will feel lonely and sad. And for your holidays? It is quite easy to travel with cockatiels. Cacatua and macaws are much more difficult. They need a strong and jaw-resistant transport cage and your special attention.

In short

Cockatiels are relatively simple to handle and raise. However, these charming birds need your attention, affection, and time. They need healthy, varied food and enough space to play and exercise. Larger parrots, such as cockatiels or macaws, are picky pets. Several things are essential to satisfy their requirements.

Solution 1. Friendly and sociable, cockatiels do not need too much space. They find enough room in a small apartment or in your handy whisk. Cockatoos and, above all, macaws would only feel comfortable in an aviary. They need special, spacious, and sturdy cages. Are you going to travel with these beasts? Reliable, jaw-resistant travel mounts are essential. Naturally, you can find and copy them. But you will definitely only carry cockatoos when you move.

Solution 2. All species of parrots need perches to sit. Large birds should be durable, preferably wooden and natural. To put it bluntly, ladders and premium toys are essential. They don’t let your precious birds get bored or feel uncomfortable. Cockatoos must be safe, robust, and stimulating. Chewing or rummaging toys meet their needs.

Solution 3. Every pet bird needs varied and nutritious food. In summer, it can be fresh fruits and vegetables. Thus, your adorable feathered friends feel happy and healthy. In reality, they return it to you by giving you a lot of affection.

Cockatiel vs cockatoo parrot