How to Make a Cockatiel Sing

Cockatiels are small, friendly parrots ideal for both the novice and expert bird owner. While their size is petite, their intelligence is grand. Some cockatiels learn tricks and how to speak and some may even be taught to sing by whistling familiar tunes. Teaching a cockatiel to sing requires patience, persistence and a cockatiel with a willingness to learn -- and even then not all have the capability to sing. By implementing a few training strategies and working diligently with your bird, you are guaranteed to have a well-trained, happier and more social bird whether it sings or not.

Things You'll Need

  • Quiet, safe training area
  • Recordings of cockatiels singing
  • Treats
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Instructions

    • 1

      Prepare your cockatiel for singing by setting up a training area. Use an area that is free of toys, food and other distractions. You may leave the bird in its cage and remove distracting items from that area, or simply create a training area and remove your bird from the cage and place it there. Make sure the area is safe and well-lit to encourage the cockatiel to learn.

    • 2

      Repeat the song you wish your cockatiel to sing during each training session. Whistle the song or play tapes of other cockatiels singing that song. Be sure that if you whistle the song you are consistently doing it the same each time. Repeat the song as many times as you can, either by whistling or by replaying the recording, during the training session. Limit training sessions to 10 to 20 minutes each time, and have several training sessions throughout the day.

    • 3

      Whistle the tune of the song you want your cockatiel to sing as you work around your house. Whistle the tune as you change the bird's cage, refresh its food and water, or just as a quick interaction as you are passing by. The more the cockatiel hears the song, the more likely it is to pick up the tune and mimic it.

    • 4

      Reward your cockatiel each time it makes a step in the right direction, whether it is during a training session or just during everyday life. If the bird sings a note of the song, give it a favorite treat. If the bird tries to sing the song, praise it and offer a treat or scratch its head. Positive recognition of the bird's correct behavior reinforces the training and encourages it to proceed and try to sing more.

    • 5

      Whistle along with your cockatiel when it begins to sing a tune. This encourages it to sing by making this a fun, playful interaction between the two of you. It also reinforces the training and keeps the bird singing the song properly for years to come.