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Eclectus
Eclectus
Cockatiels
Nymphicus hollandicus
2023/2024 Sponsors:
Inas R.
Fay H.
Carolyn S.
Leah W.-B.
Maggie H.
Gloria E.
Sadaf A.
Sandra I.
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Population Size
Unknown
Lifespan
10-30 years
Length
32-33cm
The cockatiel is the smallest member of the Cockatoo family. It is native to the semi-arid regions of Australia but can be found all over the world in bird-lovers' homes. They are in fact the leading pet bird in North America, probably due to their charismatic whistling and cute faces.
Conservation Status
Did you know...
That the cockatiel's scientific name reflects the experience of some of the first Europeans to see cockatiels. Early settlers thought they were so beautiful that they named them after the nymph, a mythical creature.
The cockatiel has many names including 'weiro' and 'quarrion'. The name cockatiels comes from the Portuguese word 'cacatelho' which means little cockatoo. In Australia, the indigenous Alyawarr people call cockatiels 'arew-arews'.
Cockatiels are better at whistling than mimicking human speech. Some cockatiels have been known to whistle entire show tunes and missing cockatiels have been reunited with owners based on what songs they knew how to whistle.