Whenever we think about parrots, we think about the colors of the rainbow. Yellow beaks, pink cheeks, orange mohawks, green plumage— all sorts of colors splash and pop in front of our eyes. However, little did we know that a special subfamily of parrots was tucked within the mysterious layers of nature that revealed subtle-colored parrots to the keen bird watchers.
When you learn to see in black, white and gray–cockatiels and cockatoos appear in front of your eyes. However, when you compare these close cousins cockatoo vs cockatiel, do you notice any difference? Well, turns out there are! They do not belong to the same subfamily, therefore they are bound to share differences. Now, let’s stop chattering and get to business.
Contents
Brief Overview Of Cockatoo And Cockatiel
Cockatoos are parrots that belong to the Psittacidae family, within the Cacatuidae superfamily. Their subfamily’s name is Cacatuinae and are mainly found in the Philippines, Australasia, the Indonesian Islands and the Solomon Islands.
Source: @malenybotanicgardens
They are not as colorful as other parrots and may have black, white or gray plumage. Their mohawk-like crown and curved bill are two features that are known to all.
The cockatiels are parrots that belong to the same superfamily as Cockatoos, but their subfamily is different and is called the Nymphicinae. This subfamily of the cockatiels is the smallest, and their population is limited to Australia.
Source: @happylove358
Their crest and tail feathers are the prominent features of their body that the parrots use to express their emotions. Their flight feathers are mainly gray.
How Are Cockatoo And Cockatiel Similar?
Besides both being parrots and having similar physical characteristics, cockatiels and cockatoos like to eat similar things too. They both like to chew and munch on seeds, wheat and sunflower. They also like fruits and flowers. Another physical trait that they both share are the four-toed feet, and let’s emphasize on the fact that both are popular pets of humans.
How Do You Tell Cockatiel Apart From Cockatoo?
One of the most adorable differences between cockatoos and cockatiels is the ‘cheek blush’ that is present only in cockatiels. Both males and females of cockatiels flaunt this orange or red coloration on their cheeks that are often affectionately referred to as ‘cheddar cheeks’. Another major difference between them is their size– turns out cockatiels are much smaller.
Cockatoo vs Cockatiel: What Are The Differences?
These two parrots have several differences between them, though they are closely related. For one thing, cockatoos are much larger than cockatiels. More differences are discussed below.
Are Cockatiel And Cockatoo True Parrots?
Both cockatiels and cockatoos belong to the same order “Psittaciformes”, same family “Psittacidae”, and even the same superfamily “Cacatuidae”. What is different is the subfamily– cockatoos belong to the Cacatuinae subfamily, whereas cockatiels belong to Nymphicinae subfamily. Therefore, cockatiels are like close cousins, similar yet different.
Other than Cacatuidae, there is another superfamily called Psittacoidae which contains true parrots. Cacacuidae contains birds that have similar traits as parrots, but are not true parrots, like parakeets, macaws, cockatiels, and cockatoos. One tell-tale sign that tells us that the ‘tiels and the ‘toos are not true parrots is the plumage color. True parrots have more vivid colors.
Source: @carriebrockphoto, @tullys_thoughts
How Big Are Cockatiel And Cockatoo?
Cockatoos are much larger than cockatiels, though cockatoos themselves are the smallest birds in their own subfamily. Adult cockatoos are 12 to 24 inches long (1 to 2 ft), with a wingspan of 28 to 39 inches. They do not only look large, they weigh considerably too, around 14 to 42 ounces.
On the other hand, cockatiels are smaller and lighter birds. They are 10 to 13 inches long, with a wingspan measurement closer to the length of their body. They weigh around 2.8 to 3.5 ounces only, which is way lighter than the heavy-weight cockatoos. Some people mistakenly say that cockatiels are larger— this may be because of their super-long tails!
Are Colors Of Cockatoo And Cockatiel The Same As Other Parrots?
Cockatoos are parrots with subdued appearance with base colors varying between the grayer shades–white, black or ash. Other color patches like red, yellow, pink could be present on the chest and tail regions.
Cockatiels, on the contrary, are more brightly colored. Although the dominant colors may be black or white, they usually flaunt bright colors on their heads, like the orange cheeks mentioned earlier.
Cockatiels have a number of color varieties due to a recessive gene mutation. Variations include the Lutinos where the birds have a yellow face and orange cheeks over a white body; and then there are the Cinnamons with gray or brown feathers, and finally the Pearls where there are spots of different colors on the body that resemble real-life pearls.
Do Cockatoo And Cockatiel Both Have Crests?
Cockatoos and cockatiels both have crests that they can raise and lower whenever they want. Movement of the crest depends on their mood– cockatiels, for example, raise their crest when they are excited, but lower it when they are angry or even happy.
Cockatoos, however, flaunt thicker and larger, and vividly colorful recursive crests. Recursive crests contain feathers that are noticeable even when they are not fanned out. Sulphur-crested cockatoos and Major Mitchell’s cockatoos have colorful recursive crests.
Galahs and Rose-breasted cockatoos have a mixture of recursive and recumbent crests. Cockatoo crests are usually yellow, red or orange, depending on the species.
The crests of cockatiels are recumbent meaning when they are not fanned out, they look back-brushed– they flatten out on the head completely. Crests of cockatiels are much smaller and thinner, and vary between white, yellow and orange.
Do Both Cockatiel And Cockatoo Have Gray Feet?
Both cockatoos and cockatiels have zygodactyl feet where two toes face forward, and the other two face backward. This structure is well-adapted for stronger grips. Cockatoos have gray or black colored feet, whereas cockatiels have pink-colored feet.
Source: @skadi_the_cockatiel
Do Cockatiel And Cockatoo Have A Good Eyesight?
Cockatoos have a better color vision than humans because they have 4 light-sensitive color pigments in their retina, whereas humans have only 3. With the 4th extra pigment, cockatoos can see ultraviolet rays that humans cannot see. These birds can also see more images per second, thus when objects are moving really fast, cockatoos can see the object more clearly.
Cockatiels can perceive even more colors than cockatoos do, because they have 5 light sensitive pigments in their retina! They can see ultraviolet rays as well as yellow as a primary color. Humans cannot see yellow directly— they see it as a mixture of red and green.
Additionally, cockatiels and cockatoos have a 350 degrees field of vision, whereas humans have 180 degrees only. This means they do not have to tilt or turn their head to see things better.
Are The Beaks Of Cockatoo And Cockatiel Different?
Cockatoo beaks are larger and curvier, and the color ranges between white or gray with black tips. Completely black beaks can also be seen. On the other hand, cockatiel beaks are smaller and the color varies between pink, white and gray, with or without black tips.
How Many Eggs Do Cockatoo And Cockatiel Lay?
Cockatoos usually lay 2 to 3 eggs per clutch, but it may vary with different species. Sulphur-crested cockatoos, for example, can lay 4 to 6 eggs, whereas Red-tailed black cockatoos lay only 1 egg. Incubation period lasts for 25 to 30 days. Cockatoo eggs resemble chicken eggs, white or off-white in color.
Cockatiels lay about 4 to 5 eggs per clutch, and incubate the eggs for 18 to 21 days. If eggs are broken, the mother cockatiel may lay more eggs to make up for the broken ones. A very interesting thing to note here is that all cockatiel eggs in a clutch do not look the same– they vary in shape and size. Some have an oval shape, while others may resemble ping pong balls.
How Long Do They Live?
Cockatoos have longer lifespans than cockatiels. They live for an average of 40 to 66 years. Sulphur-crested cockatoos, for instance, can live for up to 100 years!
Cockatiels can live for up to 25 years in the wild. As pets, if taken care of properly, they can thrive for 14 to 20 years.
Source: @no_ran115
What Do Cockatiel And Cockatoo Prefer To Eat?
Cockatoos and cockatiels have around the same kind of dietary preferences, however, cockatoos could be a little choosy. Cockatoos will go for grass seeds, nuts, grains, fruits, vegetables and sprouts. They also need calcium for their bones since they are large birds. They also tend to overeat and are more vulnerable to obesity.
Cockatiels eat less and are less picky when it comes to food. They will also go for fruits, berries and nuts, and may also turn obese. They may even choose to eat human food like meat.
Can They Speak Like Humans?
Being able to speak like humans is a special ability of many parrots, and cockatoos and cockatiels are no exception. However, cockatoos can mimic human sounds and words better than most cockatiels. Pronunciation and clarity of these birds gets better over time.
Cockatiels, on the other hand, can mimic everyday household noises better than human words and phrases. They can mimic car honks and phone rings immaculately. They mostly whistle and screech. Cockatiels have a softer voice and human words are not clear when pronounced.
Source: @pryna_and_friends
Are Cockatoo And Cockatiel High Maintenance?
Cockatoos and cockatiels are considered widely as pet birds. Before you get one of these feathered friends for yourself, you might want to learn more about their preferences.
Cockatoos crave their owner’s attention, and if you do not spend quality time with them, they may act angry, aggressive or may even fall into depression. If you ignore them or leave them unattended for days, they may start plucking their feathers due to loneliness and boredom.
Average bird toys or simply leaving it with another bird might not work. Cockatoos also like to make a racket early in the morning and their noise-making capability has been measured to be as high as 135 decibels. And, let’s not forget, if they bite you, they may crush your fingers.
Conversely, cockatiels are much more independent and when you are not around, simply giving them bird toys or leaving them with other birds word pretty effectively. They like to whistle and sing but less loudly than cockatoos. They preen themselves so bathing them frequently may not be necessary. They are less picky about food and much easier to train. They are also less noisy, calmer and gentler than cockatoos.
However, cockatiels are more prone to diseases. They may often experience respiratory and digestive issues and may even pluck their feathers due to nutritional deficiency.
Which Bird Is More Intelligent: Cockatiel Or Cockatoo?
Cockatoos can learn more tricks and faster. They can adjust tools and play with puzzle toys, and not to mention perform tricks too. They like being involved in games where they can interact with their owners, like “Where’s the Treat?” game where the parrot has to pinpoint the hand the treat was hidden within. It could be a little difficult to train them initially, but they learn fast.
Cockatiels like playing games with their owners too, but they do not like puzzle toys that much. They like to climb ladders and swings, and love colorful toys. As mentioned earlier, cockatiels try to pronounce human words but they do not sound as clear as cockatoos do. Where cockatoos can learn hundreds of human words, cockatiels can learn a few dozens only.
Are Both Cockatoo And Cockatiel Social?
Cockatoos are quite loud and energetic. They are sometimes affectionately called ‘Velcro Birds’ because they love to socialize and are obsessed with spending time with their beloved human owner. They love to interact with humans more than other birds. In the wild, cockatoos like to flock around with hundreds of other birds.
Cockatiels are calmer versions of cockatoos. They are friendly and easy-going, like to socialize with their fellow humans, but are not obsessively clingy. Leave them with other birds, they are okay. However, in comparison, parakeets and lovebirds are more social than cockatiels.
Where Can Cockatiel And Cockatoo Be Found?
Cockatoos can be found mainly in Australia, and also in Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands. They mostly like open areas and mangroves in the wild.
Cockatiels, however, can be found only in Australia and that too in specific areas. They are not available in the central or eastern coastlines of the continent. They prefer arid to semi-arid areas but avoid deserts. They like places with some water source nearby.
Summarizing Differences Between Cockatiel And Cockatoo
The differences are listed here in a table for ease of understanding.
| Features | Cockatoo | Cockatiel |
| Taxonomy | Subfamily Cacatuinae | Subfamily Nymphicinae |
| Size | 12 to 24 inches long | 10 to 13 inches long |
| Color | Black white, or gray with pink tails or chests | Black, white, gray, with other color splotches and patterns; orange or red cheeks |
| Crest | Large, recursive, colorful | Small, recumbent, less colorful |
| Feet | Gray or black | Pink |
| Eyesight | 3 light-sensitive pigments in retina, can see UV rays | 4 light-sensitive pigments in retina, can see UV rays and yellow as a primary color |
| Beak | Larger beak, white/gray/black | Smaller beak; pink/white/gray/black |
| Eggs | 2 to 3 eggs, off-white | 4 to 6 eggs, eggs could be of different shapes and sizes |
| Diet | Grain, fruits, nuts, seeds; are a bit picky about food as pets | Grain, fruits, nuts, seeds; are less picky about food as pets |
| LifeSpan | 40 to 66 years | 14 to 20 years |
| Speak Like Humans | Mimic sounds of humans very clearly | Mimic household sounds very clearly; human words unclear |
| Intelligence | Higher human vocabulary, perform more tricks | Fewer human vocabulary, perform fewer tricks |
| Social Habits | More social with humans than with other birds as a pet; in the wild they flock in hundred | More social with birds than with humans; similar nature in the wild |
| Range and Habitat | Australia and other Islands near South-East Asia; open areas and mangroves | Only in Australia, arid and semi arid places with water nearby |
Thoughts
Cockatoo vs cockatiel— are they one and the same? They are both parrots, that’s for sure. But are they true parrots? They share the same order and family, but their subfamilies are different. Their subfamily members have features that make them look like parrots, but not true parrots. For one thing, cockatoos and cockatiels are not as colorful as the true parrots are.
Cockatoos are much larger than cockatiels. They eat more, they talk more, are more social, and are more aggressive. Precisely, cockatoos are exaggerated versions of cockatiels. However, cockatiels are more colorful— they have pink or orange colored spots on their cheeks that set them apart. They are close cousins–different but same, unique in their own way.
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