Pied Cockatiel

The pied cockatiel is a mutation of the normal gray cockatiel, also known as the wild type cockatiel. It was bred in San Diego, California by a Mr. D. Putman after decades of attempting to breed a cockatiel mutation. It is one of the most delightful birds to have as a companion and as such has gained a stellar reputation due to its easy availability.

Pied Cockatiel

Scientific Classification
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Aves
Order	Psittaciformes
Superfamily	Cacatuoidea
Family	Cacatuidae
Subfamily	Nymphicinae
Genus	Nymphicus
Scientific Name	Nymphicus hollandicus

Quick Information
Other Names	Variegated cockatiel, Harlequin cockatiel, pied tiel, ADM pied cockatiel, recessive pied cockatiel
Size	12 in (30.5 cm)
Weight	3-4 oz (85-113 g)
Color	Orange patches on the cheeks, light yellow to gray and white feathers. Sexually dimorphic but differences between male and female can only be seen with a DNA test
Vocalizations	Most common vocalization include a tweet, ‘eek-eek,’ males tend to whistle more; they may learn to speak with adequate training but their voice isn’t easily legible
Clutch	About 5 eggs
Incubation Period	17-22 days
Fledging	35 days
Breeding Age	1.5-2 years
Lifespan	16-25 years

Lutino Pied Cockatiel

Color mutations

Cinnamon pied cockatiel
Whiteface pied cockatiel
Lutino pied cockatiel
Pearl pied cockatiel

Cinnamon Pied Cockatiel

Pearl Pied Cockatiel

Whiteface Pied Cockatiel

As pets

As is the case with all cockatiel mutations, pied cockatiels make wonderful pets because of their comical ways, inquisitive and friendly nature.

Housing

Provide your bird with a spacious cage, as that is a must for cockatiels if it is to be in there for extended periods. Ideal dimensions for the cage should be at least 24”x18”x18”. Provide perches for the bird to sit on, and playpens if you can afford one, this can help it to keep itself occupied for hours on end.

White Faced Pied Cockatiel

Pied Cockatiel Pictures

Temperature

Average room temperature should be fine for a pied cockatiel. Make sure there are no radical changes in temperature and if so adjust accordingly. Keep it away from drafts.

Temperament & Behavior

Pied cockatiels are very social birds, be it with their own kind, or with the owner. They love to get attention from their owners but are also equally adept at spending time by themselves in their cages. They have very gentle personalities and are perfect pets for somebody who has not had a bird as a pet before.

Feeding

Foods that you can provide your bird with regularly are fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, sprouts and pellets.

Care

Fresh foods and water are required to be given to the bird on a daily basis. Clean its cage twice a week. It needs to be bathed at least thrice a week so use a spray mist on it or get it a bird bath. It needs to sleep for at least 8 hours during the night to ensure good health.

Pied Cockatiel Female

Pied Cockatiels

Health problems

Although pied cockatiels are mostly hardy birds with health complications few and far between, some of the ailments that do plague it are:

Overgrown nails and beaks
Feather picking
Weight loss
Feather cysts
Heat stroke
Watery eyes
Psittacosis
Coccidiosis
Goiter
Bacterial infections
Diarrhea
Rheumatism
Egg binding

Price

A pied cockatiel is likely to cost around $200.

Interesting facts

The pied cockatiel is the first mutation of the cockatiel species.
There are two loose variations of pied cockatiels, the ‘heavy pied’ and the ‘light pied’ types.