Cockatiel (male)

Description:

A male Cockatiel in the wild! The Cockatiel is an unusual member of the cockatoo family. It is small in size, and has a slender body and long pointed tail, which is more characteristic of the smaller parrots. Its plumage is mostly grey, paler below, with a white wing patch, orange cheeks and a distinctive pointed crest. The male can be identified by its bright yellow forehead, face and crest. - Birdlife. Like Budgerigars, there are several colour variations but I believe the grey colour is the wild Cockatiels.

Habitat:

There was a pair looking for a nesting site in the trees along the De Grey River at the De Grey River rest stop. Spotting of the female: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/186...

Notes:

I have only ever seen wild Cockatiels on about five separate occasions. So, it was a pleasant surprise to see this one and her mate flying around at the rest stop area in the morning. These beautiful little birds are endemic to Australia. Reference: The Michael Morcombe eGuide to Australian Birds, Mobile App. Reference: http://birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/cock...