
Cockatoos are generally white, black, grey or even pink, the latter of which is not seen in ‘tiels. Cockatiels have been selectively bred to appear in many different color varieties (though, as mentioned earlier, no green or blue).Their yellow faces and orange cheek patches are unique to cockatiels.Cockatiels sport a thinner crest than most other cockatoos.In Dutch they are “falcon parakeets” ( valkparkiet) and in German their name is “nymph parakeet” ( nymphensittich). In fact, ‘tiels were actually considered parakeets for a while and are still referred to as such in some languages. Cockatiels have a long tail, which is a trait commonly associated with parakeets.Some of the most notable distinctions are: There are plenty of differences in appearances between cockatiels vs cockatoo. Let’s briefly go into the most significant ones! SizeĬockatiels are the smallest members of the family Cacatuidae at a maximum size of about 12″ (30 cm) from head to tail and a weight of only 3.2 ounces (90 grams).Ĭompare that to the largest cockatoo: the black palm cockatoo (or goliath cockatoo, Probosciger aterrimus) can reach a length of 24″ (61 cm) and a weigh up to a kilo (that’s 2.2 lbs!). There are pretty much as many differences between cockatiel vs cockatoo as there are similarities. “ World’s first galah breeds with cockatiel“Ĭockatoo vs cockatiel: what are the differences? However, that doesn’t mean that cockatiels aren’t real cockatoos: they’re just a different type of cockatoo that forms a whole different branch on the cockatoo tree, even though they descended from the same common ancestor.Īn additional ‘confirmation’ that cockatiels are indeed closely related to other cockatoos came when an Australian parrot enthusiast discovered a cross between a galah cockatoo and a cockatiel in her aviary. What the above means, for example, is that a Moluccan cockatoo is more closely related to most other cockatoos, like galahs or corellas, than to cockatiels. This places them on a different “branch of the tree” than cockatiels. Most other cockatoos are members of the subfamily Cacatuinae (the exception are Calyptorhynchinae, the black cockatoos).
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However, despite all their similarities, it has been established through molecular research that within the cockatoo family, the cockatiels make up a category of their own. And that’s not surprising, since they tick all the boxes that separate cockatoos from other parrots: they have the typical crest, dusty down feathers, no genetic possibility of blue or green coloration and feathers covering the sides of the beak (Brown & Toft, 1999). So what does all the family and subfamily stuff mean? Basically, cockatiels are indeed also cockatoos. However, the bird has an average weight of 3.2 ounces or 90 grams.A simplified tree showing where cockatiels fall in comparison to other cockatoos. Meanwhile, the wingspan is 10 to 14 inches across, while its weight is around 2.5 and 4.5 ounces. Length, Wingspan, and WeightĪ cockatiel is a small bird measuring between 12 and 14 inches from the beak to the tail. Australia is only home to 14 of 21 species, including the Sulphur-crested cockatoo. However, cockatoos originate from various areas apart from Australia.įor example, they are native to New Zealand, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Indonesia. You will find them mainly in the arid and semi-arid regions of the country. OriginĬockatiels are native only to Australia. Now, let’s look at all these differences between cockatiels and cockatoos in detail.

Mainly black, white, and gray with pink, red, or yellow splotches on the crest or tail

Gray with some orange patches on the cheek, yellow face, and crest Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, Indonesia, and the Solomon Islands
