Like the Bourkes, cockatiels are parrots native to Australia. They’re affectionate, talkative, fun birds that make excellent companions. Each bird has its own personality and you can often tell what mood your cockatiel is in by learning to read its crest or expression.
At Houck Hollow, our cockatiels are a bit spoiled. They are free-flying birds and have the run of the aviary. If we leave the bird room door open, we are often surprised when they sneak down the hall to find their human family. They love playing by your feet, so you always need to watch where you step. They aren’t afraid of telling off the dogs either. They are certainly the bosses of our home, and don’t hesitate to remind us!
Romeo—Born 2025
Romeo is the first cockatiel baby born at Houck Hollow. We were thrilled to welcome a baby and we weren’t alone. Every cockatiel in the aviary kept crawling into the nest to check on his progress. We wondered if he’d ever grow into his tummy but he did. He’s very attached to his parents, Joy & Caesar.
Type—½ Pied-½ Pearl
Charlie—Bought 2024
When my sweet boy, Happy, died unexpectedly, we looked around for another male cockatiel like him. The thing is Charlie is his own bird. He’s all about the ladies. He loves Joy and woos her every time Ceasar isn’t paying attention. Joy is all about Ceasar but she also doesn’t let Charlie get too far away. Charlie has a defect on one wing so he can’t fly.
Type—½ Normal-½ Pearl
Vi—Bought 2024
Vi is our friendliest cockatiel, though Valentine will likely be in the running. She is curious and loves playing with electronics, jewelry, toys, and her humans. Going to work with Nana is her favorite. Vi loves playing with jewelry. She’s so devoted to her sister, Lyra, we worry she might never choose a mate.
Type—Normal Cockatiel Hen
Caesar—Bought 2025
We bought Caesar and his mate, Cleo, at the spring bird show in 2025. This pretty boy took one look at Joy and it was love at first sight. He abandoned Cleo and follows Joy around like a puppy dog. He’s a very devoted dad and definitely the king of the cockatiels, letting all the other males know who’s boss.
Type—Pied Cockatiel Male
Joy—Bought 2023
One of our rare Pet Store purchases, Joy was brought home to be a companion bird for Happy. She loved Happy but what we didn’t understand at the time was that Happy was fully bonded to his human family and had no interest at all in his pretty new bird friend, much to her disappointment. Joy now has her pick of boyfriends.
Type—Silver Pearl Hen
Cleo—Bought 2025
We don’t know much about Cleo yet except that she’s been a mom before and that Caesar was her mate. She’s very shy around people and extremely quiet. She prefers Bandit over anyone else, and the two sit together every night when it’s bedtime. She’s just starting to want to interact with me when I’m feeding millet.
Type—Pearl Cockatiel Hen
Lyra—Bought 2024
Lyra is Vi’s sister. Though the girls are inseparable, bonded, and look similar, they couldn’t be more different. Lyra prefers the quiet life and staying with the other birds. She cries for her sister when Vi leaves the room, but shies away from following. The exception is bath time, when she loves heading upstairs for a warm shower.
Type—Normal Cockatiel Hen
Bandit—Bought 2025
We don’t know much about Bandit who we named for the adorable feather mask he wears. He’s on the smaller side for a cockatiel and has been primarily a breeding bird. Because of this, he’s very shy around people, but he does a cute sort of whistle click and enjoys it immensely when his human family copies his sounds.
Type—Yellowface Male
Juliet—Bought 2025
Juliet is a sweetie pie. She loves scritchies and going to work with mom to meet all the ladies. She’s very persistent when it comes to getting what she wants and will step with prickle feet all over the dogs and nip at their collars, not caring a whit if they turn and snarl. She seems to have a talent for mimicking voices, which is rare in a hen.
Type—Silver Pearl Hen
“You’ll always be my favorite hello and my hardest goodbye.”
Cecelia Ahren
Deceased
Valentine—Born 2025-Passed 2025
We bought Valentine as a one-month-old baby at the spring bird show. That meant we got to hand-feed her and bond with her really well. She loves Malt-O-Meal and is an expert at landing on heads.
When she died unexpectedly, it broke our hearts. We always seem to lose our most special birds.
Type—Pearl Cockatiel Hen
Happy—Born 2020
Happy was the best bird. We bought him at the fall bird show in 2023. He loved hiding under blue towels, saying, “I’m a pretty bird,” whistling, his favorite, “If you’re happy and you know it,” meeting people, & giving kisses.
His accidental death was tragic and devastating for us. We only had him for six months, but we will miss him forever.
Type—Normal Male
Houck Hollow 