Woody the cockatiel lives in gorgeous Hawaii with her humans Nika and Antonio. She lives a pretty unconventional life for a pet bird, getting to explore and connect with nature. Her parents seem to enjoy the adventures even more with their adorable cockatiel on their shoulder. Nika loves taking pictures of their excursions, and from the looks of it, they’re one happy, outdoorsy family.
“I’d say my favorite thing to do with Woody is to take her on outside adventures. I’m a photographer, so I spend a ton of time outdoors exploring new places,” Nika says. “I love being able to take this little girl to some of my favorite spots, so she can enjoy some of Hawaii’s beauty too.”
Meet the Hawaiian cockatiel
Woody the Pied Cockatiel lives on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. She’s been to waterfalls, beaches, hikes into the forests and jungles, and she’s seen many beautiful sunrises and sunsets.
“I think she really enjoys it, so it’s a perfect little bonding experience for us,” Nika says.
Since cockatiels are very social, inquisitive birds, they love spending time with their owners. They’re gentle, sweet and friendly, and definitely have their own quirky sense of humor! On Woody’s Instagram page, her mom jokingly put “Yellow but not mellow” in her biography. That should give you a glimpse into this tiny bird’s big personality.
She can get loud sometimes, but her sweet nature easily makes up for her mischievous ways. Cockatiels are known for being feisty yet cuddly and docile at the same time. They’re an animal of many extremes and contradictions, but they make wonderful pets. In fact, they’re one of the most popular companion birds in the world.
Cockatiels are very affectionate, loving animals and need lots of attention. Unlike some birds, they actually don’t like spending a lot of time by themselves.
Woody lives her best life going out on adventures in Hawaii
“Something that I think is super cute about Woody is that she pretty much always wants to hang out with us. If we’re on the couch watching TV, she’ll fly down from her perch and just sit on us or near us,” Nika says. “Some days Woody’s dad works long hours so he’ll get home really tired and just pass out on the carpet. As soon as he falls asleep, she’ll fly down to him and just start napping with or on him, and I think that’s just the cutest thing ever.”
When Woody’s not cuddling, napping, or adventuring with her parents, she loves getting head scratches and taking showers! Yes, you read that correctly. Woody looks forward to bath time just as much as humans do, and it seems to really relax her.
“She loves taking showers, so we’ll just take her in the shower with us. As soon as she sees the stream of water, she’ll close her eyes and start moving her head from side to side until I bring her under the water,” Nika explains.
Cockatiels are unbearably cute, but they do require a lot of attention and effort. Just like with any pet, you need to make sure you’re ready before adopting one. Although, if you’ve never owned a bird before, cockatiels are great for beginners because of their sociable, gentle nature. Even though they’re in the parrot family, they’re much quieter than large parrots, only making soft chirping sounds.
As far as food goes, they require a diet high in pellets and relatively low in greens and seeds. Their diet should consist of about 70-80% pellets, 10-30% greens or fruits and 5% treats (including seeds). While seeds are natural to a bird’s diet, they’re high in fat, so they shouldn’t have them often.
They also require a large enough enclosure to comfortably extend and flap their wings. Make sure to have different sized perches and several toys in their cage as well. Cockatiels are foraging birds, so toys help with mental stimulation. Finally, like any pet, you’ll want to take them for an annual vet visit and stay up-to-date on vaccines.
A few basic facts about cockatiels
Average life span: 6-20 years
Color: Gray, white and yellow
Family: cockatoo
Origins: Australia
Sounds: whistling
Weight: just over 1 oz (30-40 g)
Size: Around 12-14 in long
Sleep: about 14 hours per day
Diet: herbivore
Since cockatiels are social animals, it’s a good idea to get two birds if you’re away for long periods of time. This way, they won’t become depressed from lack of interaction. Also, if you don’t like a lot of noise, adopt a female cockatiel rather than a male. In the wild, females are quieter, and males use their voice for attracting a mate.
Overall, cockatiels are wonderful, relatively inexpensive pets, but they do need your attention. If you’d like to adopt one, check with your local pet store.
Final thoughts: Woody the cockatiel is living her best life in Hawaii
Woody the cockatiel lives a pretty exciting life compared to most domesticated birds. Instead of spending all day in her cage indoors, she gets to explore the beautiful sights of Hawaii. Since her parents both love nature, they figured they’d take Woody along to explore with them. They even bought a harness for her so she can fly or walk freely without being able to fly away.
If you’d like to get a cockatiel, they are great birds for beginners. They’re loving, sweet, and comical birds, and they’ll feel like family once you’ve bonded with them.
“If you are thinking about adding a bird into your family, I would strongly recommend that you do your research first. Birds have a ton of energy, they require a lot of your attention, and frankly, they can just be really loud throughout the day. So, if you’re not ready for that, it can be a lot,” Nika says. “There are certain lifestyles changes you might have to make. But, if you’re ready to make those changes and you do decide to get a bird, they’re super rewarding pets and make awesome companions.”
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