These loveable birds come to us from Australia. The are typically gray with bright yellow heads, but they do come in other colors as well. The best way to tell the sex of your bird is to have a vet determine it, but usually the way to tell is by coloring. Male Cockatiel's have brighter colors where the females are mostly gray. Another way is vocalization.
Males tend to talk and whistle more than a female.
Housing for your Cockatiel should be a roomy cage made out of non toxic metal with a couple perches for him to stand on. Line the bottom of the cage with either cage liners or sheets of newspaper. The cage will be his home, so make sure he has enough room for his toys, water and food bowls plus room to stretch out his wings. Place the cage in a populated area of the house where the bird can be a part of the activities. As it heats it starts to release toxins into the air that can kill your Cockatiel.