What Is the Difference Between a Cockatiel & a Cockatoo?

As the smallest and shortest-lived member of the cockatoo family of birds, the cockatiel shares many similarities with other cockatoos, including the distinctive crest of feathers on its head. However, the cockatiel has its own appearance and is considered a calmer, less demanding choice of pet.

  1. Size and Life Span

    • As the longest-lived of all the parrots, cockatoos can live up to 100 years. Cockatiels, however, tend to live for 12 to 14 years, although some live as long as 25 years in the wild. Although different breeds of cockatoos vary in size from each other, most are about 20 inches long -- which is almost double the 10- to 13-inch length of a cockatiel. Perhaps more significant, the cockatiel's beak is shaped like that of a parrot but is a tiny fraction of the size of a cockatoo's powerful beak.

    Color and Variations

    • Native to Australia, the cockatiel in the wild is mostly gray, with a yellow face and distinctive orange cheek patches. Some variations from the gray bird -- called mutations -- include the pied, lutino, pearl, cinnamon and silver cockatiels. These cockatiels, which comprise the first mutation, retain the yellow head and red cheeks, but the gray plumage varies. A second mutation includes cockatiel varieties that retain the general cockatiel shape, size and crest but often lack the red cheeks. Native to Australia, New Guinea and Indonesia, the cockatoo occurs as 18 species -- one of which is the cockatiel -- and 37 subspecies; however, only a relative few cockatoo species are available as pets. Most cockatoos boast single-colored plumage, usually either white or black, although some have highlights of other colors such as pink, red or yellow. Some species of cockatoo include sulphur-crested, palm, galah, corella and black cockatoo.

    Gender Determination

    • Black cockatoo males have black beaks, while black cockatoo females have light-colored beaks. For large, light-colored cockatoos, often the iris color differs between the genders, with darker brown or black irises indicating a male bird and reddish-brown or burgundy ones typical of mature females. The smaller cockatoo species often cannot be sexed reliably without the help of a veterinarian. In cockatiels, gender reveals itself in plumage color, with the males boasting brighter orange cheek patches and yellow crests and the females showing duller cheek patches and gray crests. Male cockatiels also sing more often and behave more aggressively than the quieter females.

    Availability

    • Cockatoos, many species of which are threatened with extinction, are available for sale as pets in the United States, but they may cost thousands of dollars per bird. Some species may be available only through special breeders. As of 2011, cockatiels range in price between $80 and $100 and appear in many chain pet stores.

    Behavior

    • The cockatiel is reputed to have a calmer, quieter nature than the loud and socially demanding cockatoo. The mischievous cockatoo loves to explore and requires constant interaction with people or other birds, a large cage and plenty of time out of that cage. Very bright and easily bored, a cockatoo if under-stimulated may develop screeching and plucking problems that are difficult to overcome. Children and pets should not be alone with the cockatoo, as the jealousy-prone bird may cause injury with its powerful beak. Like the cockatoo, the cockatiel is social if tamed young and may speak a few words, although it prefers mimicking non-verbal sounds such as whistles and melodies. Unlike the cockatoo, the cockatiel may be left alone for periods of time and tolerates a smaller cage; these qualities and more make it a good pet for the inexperienced bird owner.