--- title: "Cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus) | AnimalTracks.wiki" description: "A small crested parrot from Australia's open country that can sing a human melody in near-perfect sync." image: "https://animaltracks.wiki/images/animals/cockatiel-1.webp" published: "2026-10-10" updated: "2026-10-11" --- # Cockatiel (*Nymphicus hollandicus*) > **Status**: Checked against 5 sources, listed under Sources below. > **Tagline**: A small crested parrot from Australia's open country that can sing a human melody in near-perfect sync. > **Soundtrack Vibe**: Indie Rock & Jangle Pop // Peter Bjorn and John, "Young Folks" > **Soundtrack Links**: [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/track/4dyx5SzxPPaD8xQIid5Wjj) > **Vibe Match**: The hook of "Young Folks" is a whistled melody, and a whistled melody is what three hand-raised cockatiels learned in one study. Two of them then joined in while a human was already whistling it, and bird and human were nearly perfectly synchronous. ## Biological Superpowers & Stats - **Taxonomy**: *Nymphicus hollandicus* - **Danger Level**: Medium - **Conservation Status**: Least Concern ([IUCN Red List](https://doi.org/10.2305/iucn.uk.2018-2.rlts.t22684828a132056250.en)) - **Superpower**: Sings along with a human melody, nearly perfectly in unison - **Habitat**: Open country, usually near water, across mainland Australia and common in the arid inland - **Diet**: Grass seeds, nuts, berries and grain - **Tags**: bird, herbivore, arid, social ## Natural History & Behavior ## Sings along, in sync Singing in unison is several singers producing one acoustic pattern in synchrony, and studies showing it in non-human animals are quite rare. Cockatiels managed it in a study published in 2021. Three hand-raised birds learned a whistled melody made of two halves of 11 notes each, separated by a long pause. Two of them then joined in while the whistling was already running, and bird and human were nearly perfectly synchronous. The trick is timing. When a recording of the melody was played after a bird had started singing, the birds changed the length of the pause in their own song, and the later the playback came, the longer the delay. > **Beat matching** > Two cockatiels joined a human whistler mid-melody and sang nearly perfectly in sync. ## Small, grey and built to blend in An adult is 30 to 33 cm long, with an average of 32 cm, and weighs about 90 g. Half of that length is a long, pointed tail. The plumage is mostly grey with a white wing patch, orange cheeks and a pointed crest. Males have a bright yellow face. Their colouring lets aerial predators overlook them easily, especially in shady areas. The crest works as a mood ring. Held straight up, the crest shows a startled or alert bird. At about 45 degrees, the bird is content. Flat against the head shows an agitated one, and in flight it also lies flat, which reduces wind drag. With no strong defences, a cockatiel in danger takes off. Flocks put many eyes on watch for predators, mostly Australian birds of prey. ## Nomads of the dry country Cockatiels are widespread across mainland Australia and uncommon in Tasmania. They live in pairs or small flocks in open country, usually near water, and are common in the arid inland. They are strongly nomadic, moving around in response to food and water. Seeds are the main course. They eat grass seeds, nuts, berries and grain, and they use the tongue to rotate a seed while the upper beak strips off the shell. Drinking is a quick job: one or two sips, then necks stretch up to swallow and survey the surroundings. They also use metabolic water and can go long stretches without a drink. The maximum recorded life is 35 years, from one bird in captivity. The IUCN Red List, in its 2018 edition, rates the species Least Concern. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How big is a wild cockatiel? It is a small parrot. Birds in Backyards puts adults at 30 to 33 cm long with an average weight of 90 g, and about half that length is tail. *(Source: [Birds in Backyards, BirdLife Australia]())* ### Can cockatiels talk like bigger parrots? Not well. Animal Diversity Web says they cannot accurately imitate the human voice, but they can mimic melodies and sing. *(Source: [Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan]())* ### How long can a cockatiel live? The record is 35 years, and it belongs to a single captive bird: AnAge gives that as the species' maximum longevity. *(Source: [AnAge, Human Ageing Genomic Resources]())* ### Why do cockatiels keep moving around Australia? They follow food and water. Birds in Backyards calls them strongly nomadic across their range, and says they may breed at any time in response to suitable periods of rain, especially in the more arid regions. *(Source: [Birds in Backyards, BirdLife Australia]())* ## Sources 1. [Nymphicus hollandicus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T22684828A132056250.]() 2. [Seki (2021). Cockatiels sing human music in synchrony with a playback of the melody. PLOS ONE.]() 3. [Nymphicus hollandicus (cockatiel). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.]() 4. [Cockatiel. Birds in Backyards, BirdLife Australia.]() 5. [AnAge entry for Nymphicus hollandicus. AnAge, Human Ageing Genomic Resources.]() *Published October 10, 2026. 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