The Normal Grey Cockatiel

The male normal grey, has dark grey feathers over his entire body, excluding the white wing bars, yellow face, and bright orange cheekpatches. This is considered the "wild" coloration of the cockatiel since most cockatiels in their native Australia have this coloration.

Immature normal grey cockatiels of both sexes look a lot like female normal greys....they have grey faces and dull orange cheekpatches, and their tail feathers have a white or yellow barring on the underside.

If you see a few white or yellow feathers on the back of your normal grey cockatiel's neck and head, it means that your cockatiel is carrying one gene for the recessive mutation "Pied".

The Cinnamon Cockatiel

The Cinnamon cockatiel is a mutation which causes the feathers which are normally grey to appear brown. The plumage color can range from a tannish-grey to a chocolate brown.

The male Cinnamon cockatiel, like its normal grey counterpart, develops a bright yellow face and bright orange cheekpatches upon maturity. Immature and female Cinnamon cockatiels retain their dull orange cheekpatches, their faces do not turn yellow, and they have white or yellow barring on the underside of their tails.

The Pearl Cockatiel

The female Pearl often matures with a yellow face. The male will lose most or all of his pearling by the second molt.

An excellent female specimen will show heavy pearling on her back and wings, with some pearling extending into her chest. An excellent male will retain some evidence of his original pearling.

The Lutino Cockatiel

Lutino cockatiels can range from all yellow to all white; one thing they have in common is both sexes have a bright orange cheekpatch. Some Lutinos have bright red eyes, but most have maroon colored eyes upon maturity.

It is very difficult to visually sex a Lutino cockatiel. Often on mature female Lutinos there will be a barring on the underside of the tail feathers which can be viewed in front of a bright light.

The Pied Cockatiel

An excellent specimen will have symmetrical markings, preferably in a 70% Pied to 30% melanin (in this case gray) ratio. The Pied portion of the plumage can range from yellow to white.

It is impossible to visually sex a Pied cockatiel.

The Silver Cockatiel

The Silver mutation is a diluted version of the normal grey. The Silver has red eyes, a pink beak, and pink feet. Male Silver cockatiels often have a very deep yellow face and bright orange cheekpatches at maturity. Female Silver cockatiels will retain their immature coloration and the barring of the underside of the tail.

The Fallow Cockatiel

The Fallow cockatiel has a very similar coloration to that of the Cinnamon cockatiel, but with a slightly diluted depth of color. The fallow has red eyes, a pink beak, and pink feet.

The Whiteface Cockatiel

The Whiteface male cockatiel, is a strikingly beautiful bird with its charcoal colored feathers and bright white face.

The Whiteface mutation prevents the deposition of lipochrome (yellow and red) pigmentation on the feathers, causing the dark melanin plumage and the white face.

Female whiteface cockatiels retain the immature grey face (without the cheekpatch) and the barring of the underside of the tail feathers.

Cross-Mutations

The Lutino-Whiteface (Albino) Cockatiel

The Albino cockatiel is pure white with red eyes. It is really a double mutation consisting of Lutino, which prevents melanin from depositing in the plumage, and Whiteface, which prevents the lipochrome pigments from depositing in the plumage.

Lutino-Whiteface cockatiels are impossible to visually sex; it is best to have a DNA blood test to determine gender if it cannot be determined from the genetics of the parents.

The Cinnamon-Pearl Cockatiel

A double mutation with the coloration of a Cinnamon and the feather pattern of Pearl. The female Cinnamon-Pearl often matures with a yellow face. The male will lose most or all of his pearling by the second molt.

An excellent female specimen will show heavy pearling on her back and wings, with some pearling extending into her chest. An excellent male will retain some evidence of his original pearling.

The Cinnamon-Pearl-Pied Cockatiel

This triple mutation cockatiel has the coloration of a Cinnamon with the feather patterns of both a Pied and a Pearl.

The female will retain her pearling, while the male will lose most or all his pearling by the second molt.

An excellent specimen will have symmetrical markings, preferably in a 70% Pied to 30% melanin (in this case Cinnamon) ratio, with pearling throughout the Cinnamon.

The Cinnamon-Pearl-Whiteface Cockatiel

This triple mutation cockatiel is a combination of Cinnamon and Whiteface, which alter the coloration of the plumage, and Pearl, which alters the feather pattern. The brown of the Cinnamon becomes almost silver with the removal of lipochrome pigmentation, caused by the addition of Whiteface.

The female of this combination mutation may get a white face upon maturity. Males will lose most or all of their pearling by the second molt.

The Dominant Silver-Whiteface Cockatiel

Dominant Silver is a two factored mutation. The single factor is shown here along with the addition of the Whiteface mutation, which removes the lipochrome (or yellow and orange) pigmentation.

The double factor Dominant Silver will have lighter plumage but retain a darker skull cap.