Pied Cockatiel

The pied cockatiel is a beautiful bird with random and big blotches on their bodies. They can be any color which crops up in a solid color cockatiel. The placement and amount of the colors differ widely from one bird to another. The coloration of pied cockatiels is an outcome of feather pattern alteration instead of a color modification. They are also known as harlequin cockatiel, pied tiel and variegated cockatiel.

The pied effect in the pied cockatiel is a prominent mixture of the colors in a casual pattern of patches or blotches. This can be combinations of greys and whites on grey colored cockatiels and it can be the combination of cinnamons and yellows on cinnamon cockatiels. The most stunning birds will have a balance in the position of these blotches. Unluckily, that is not a predictable result when breeding these birds. Due to the variation of the outlining that happens, the difference between a male and female pied cockatiel, is almost unclear.

The pied was the very first of the cockatiels to establish mutation. Its record is vague but it is known that the pied cockatiel was established in San Diego, California, USA before 1951. After his death, his stock was obtained by Mr. Hubbell who carried on with the breeding program, at the same time that Mrs. R. Kersh was also establishing another strain.

The pied cockatiel was a strain that is developed by breeders and because of that, they are not seen in the wild. The grey cockatiels are found on most parts of Australia except in the coastal regions and in Tasmania. Being a member of the Cacatuidae family, the pied cockatiels also have erectile crests. These cute little crests are held erect when they are excited and stimulated. On the other hand, these crests can flatten when they feel submissive, angry and defensive. And, they are somewhere between flat and erect when they are in their ordinary ‘hanging out’ condition.

The genes which create the pattern of the variegated cockatiel or the pied cockatiel does not have any visual affect on coloring itself but instead affect the distribution of the coloring. The pied is a prominent combination of greys and whites in a random outline. The quantity and placement of the colors differ widely from one cockatiel to another. They can weigh from three to four ounces and grow up to 12 inches.

What makes the pied cockatiel an ideal pet is that it is not noisy compared to other members of the parrot family and they can be left alone even for a long time. They are loyal and loving when you bond with them affectionately. They also love to play and climb so they need to be provided with perches and toys.