Birds We Currently Have Up For Adoption

Available Parent Raised Birds

these birds are NOT tamed or hand fed they are completely raised by the parent birds and generally make very good breeding stock or can be used for a special training program of your own, we have both hens and cocks a total of 6 birds are available as of 2-21-2012 in this category when these birds are gone we will no longer be providing this service.

We are currently updating this list of birds and there profiles please stop back soon for a completed list!

New Hand fed Hand tame Cockateil photo's and descriptions coming soon to this space!

All Photo's by Westwind Multimedia's
Kerry W.Spencer

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Cockatiels

From Minnesota!

Westwind Aviary is a small aviary, established in the spring of 2011 after joining the National Cockatiel Society and then leg banding our flock under our leg band code #NCS 01W.

We are a small home grown operation with a total current self imposed limit to high quality small flock of 6 cages and 20 birds. we have a total flock size at the moment (2-20-2012) of 17 birds. All of our off spring and breeding stock are NCS leg banded and registered to Westwind Aviary located here in east Central Minnesota's north woods near Denham. for a quite living and training environment for our birds!

We offer our Cockatiels at a very high quality, these parent raised or gently handled hand fed, hand tamed Cockatiels for our new current adoption rate of 80.00 each!

The National Cockatiel Society

The National Cockatiel Society was organized first and foremost to educate Cockatiel owners on the care of their beloved friends. Over the years, the NCS has expanded its purpose to include:

The education of its members on the proper care, handling, nutrition and breeding of Cockatiels.
educational and informative articles through its bi-monthly Journal.
Support of avian research related to Cockatiel nutrition, reproduction and the study of disease.
Encouragement for the breeding of superior color mutations through the study of genetics.
Encouragement of selective breeding, closed banding and record keeping.
Establishment of a standard of excellence for judging the ideal Cockatiel.
Establishment of an NCS Judges Panel of qualified judges to maintain a uniform quality in judging governed by the standard.
An annual National Cockatiel Society show each year;
Encouragement of ethical, thoughtful and constructive interactions among its members and fellow aviculturists.

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News From The Nest

Now Offering Hand Fed, Hand Tame Cockatiels

Hannibal with his moments new chick.. Peanut

4 off spring all more then a year old from our current breeding pair Cookie and Hannibal are now up for adoption. Cookie and Hannibal have produced some very colorful and amazingly smart Cockatiels as you can see below:

Coco and Oreo offspring of Hannibal and Cookie

We are so happy to report Buster and Sophie, our second bonded pair for our aviary, have produces two clutches of 5 "gray" chicks we are currently hand feeding there second clutch of 3!

Buster and Sophie

Training Your Pet Cockatiel

It's very important to understand that training a Cockatiel takes time and lots of patience. The learning process for a Cockatiel is not based in hours or days, but more in months. We often hear from people who ask why their Cockatiel has not learn anything, as it already has been two weeks since it got home. To begin with, it takes weeks for a Cockatiel just to be safe and comfortable in a new environment. Again time and patience are the key here. The following are a few tips for getting the most out of your training session with your new Cockatiel!

Taking Care of a Cockatiel

Starts Before You Choose One!

Make sure before you get a Cockatiel that it has been hand raised. A good rule of thumb that has always worked for us is to see if the bird will perch on your finger, if it does, then you are on your way to selecting a very friendly bird. By all means, take your time and do not surrender to pressure from a salesperson at the pet shop by telling you that "they only sell hand raised Cockatiels." This is not always the case. Be patient and visit as many stores as you can, when you see a tiel that will climb on your finger then by all means go for it. Of course do make sure that it's healthy by checking its feather condition and to see if it has any discharge from the nostrils. Again take your time in selecting your Cockatiel, they can live up to 22 years!! A Cockatiel is a friend for life.

• Never force your Cockatiel to do something it does not want, This can make your bird aggressive.

• Make sure your training sessions are in a quiet area, preferably near the cage, as the cage's perimeter is your Cockatiel comfort zone. TV, radio and any other loud noises like the washer or dryer should be avoided during lessons. Windows should remain closed and at this time and no cooking should be happening in your kitchen.

• Keep your sessions short. Two or three 10-minute sessions every day works best to retain your Cockatiel’s attention.

• Find a special reward that you only give to your Cockatiel during training. A food reward should be something small and easily consumed within a few seconds. Or, if your bird enjoys praise or a head scratch, offer these instead of food.

• Keep it positive and offer lots of praise if your Cockatiel gets even part of the trick or training correct.

• Remember you are teaching a small bird, not a dog, an infant or a dolphin. Be patient at all times. It will take lots of time, repetition and dedication.

• Do get a book on Cockatiels. Your car comes with a manual, why not get a book on your Cockatiel? Check out some of the books we recommend here.

• Don’t be intimidated. If your Cockatiel is acting aggressively, stand nearby until it calms down. When it is calm, you can leave. Now your Cockatiel knows that aggressive behavior gets it nowhere.

• Your Cockatiel will learn best if you continue to reward and encourage it with each small step it takes in your training sessions