Banbury park gets fluffy addition - cockatiel will be a new attraction

A fluffy new addition to the aviary in People’s Park, Banbury is getting ready to spread its wings.
Pete Holly shows off the recently hatched cockatiel at People's Park aviaryPete Holly shows off the recently hatched cockatiel at People's Park aviary
Pete Holly shows off the recently hatched cockatiel at People's Park aviary

The baby bird, pictured with park ranger Pete Holly who looks after the aviary, is one of two cockatiel chicks that have hatched out – and both are doing well.

One has already started flying and the one in the photo will take off in the next few days. They are the first cockatiels to be bred at the aviary for more than 10 years.

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Pete said: “It’s been interesting and really quite exciting to see the birds develop – especially as it’s a relatively rare happening. They are a welcome addition to the park.”

The cockatiel is a medium-sized parrot that is a member of its own branch of the cockatoo family and is native to Australia.

According to Wikipedia, wild cockatiels are grey with visible differences between males and females. Male grey cockatiels typically have yellow heads while the female has a grey head.

Lutino colouration was first seen in 1958. These birds lack the grey of their wild counterparts and are white to soft yellow. This is a popular colour - due to inbreeding, these cockatiels often have a small bald patch behind their crests.

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A cockatiel's life span is generally given as 16 – 25 years though there are reports of them living longer with the oldest confirmed bird reported as being 36 years old.

The People’s Park aviary, owned by Banbury Town Council, has a cockatiel – nicknamed Elizabeth – who is 25.