With their sweet, gentle personalities, they make loving companions. Males learn to speak and will spend a great deal of their time whistling, singing and vocalizing. They also make a knocking' sound by rapidly tapping their beaks against the cage bars or nest box. While the females don't usually learn to talk, they are just as bright and friendly as their male counterparts. Most cockatiels enjoy playing with appropriately designed toys, such as wooden ladders, swings, bird-safe chains and bells.
Cockatiels can and do bite if annoyed.
Their beaks aren't very large so they can't deliver an extremely painful bite, but they can pinch. Once the bird realizes that it will have to spend time in confinement for biting, it will be less inclined to bite. Sweet natured, smart, easy to care for and available in many pretty color combinations, cockatiels are wonderful birds. To find a source of hand raised cockatiels, check the ads in your local newspapers, or ask at pet stores and veterinarian clinics. Inc. PageWise makes no representations about the content published on this site.