8 Best Cockatiel Books – 2024 Reviews & Top Picks

Cockatiels are an excellent choice if you’re a first-time bird owner. However, having a well-written and well-researched reference guide is priceless. It can answer your questions and concerns thoroughly without the fluff you might find online.

We found many books detailing specific aspects of cockatiel care, such as mutations and breeding. Many care manuals also exist. We waded through the sea of offerings to come up with the best of the bunch, with reviews of some of our favorites listed down below.

A Quick Comparison of Our Winners (2024)

The 8 Best Cockatiel Books

1. The Ultimate Guide To Cockatiels: The Only Pet Cockatiel Book You’ll Ever Need! – Best Overall

The Ultimate Guide To Cockatiels: The Only Pet Cockatiel Book You’ll Ever Need! is an appropriately named book that gives readers a thorough understanding of raising one—or more—of these birds as a pet. The beginning is a well-written summary of all the contents. It includes an excellent discussion about mutations and color morphs for would-be breeders as well.

The pictures, illustrations, and maps in the book are helpful and provide a more rounded view of the cockatiel and its place in the wild. The author seemed to anticipate many of the questions we would have as pet owners. While cockatiels aren’t big talkers, we would have liked more information on talking and singing. Nevertheless, it’s our pick for the best overall cockatiel book.

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2. Cockatiels (Complete Pet Owner’s Manual) – Best Value

Cockatiels (Complete Pet Owner’s Manual) is an excellent choice that covers everything you need to know, starting with the purchase of your pet. It may be a small book, yet it packs a lot of information in its pages. Its target audience is the novice. It’s also approachable for older children getting their first bird. It’s our pick for the best cockatiel book for the money.

The book has the kind of details from someone who has the experience and knowledge to understand these friendly birds. Our only complaint is that we wish it were longer. The information the author presents is well-done, leaving us wanting more.

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3. Cockatiels For Dummies – Premium Choice

Cockatiels For Dummies makes a great reference that offers oodles of information and good-to-know information. It starts with the first page and its lists of safe and poisonous plants. Its placement in the book is brilliant. It is jam-packed with so many tips and bits of advice that we’ve come to expect from this series. It covers topics many books don’t, such as naming your pet.

We liked the book’s focus on making life comfortable for your cockatiel and things easier for you. The section on behavior is comprehensive. You’ll understand your pet so much better after reading it and getting a bird’s-eye view of life from its perch. The only downside is the high price. However, we can easily justify it because of the value it’ll bring to you as a pet owner.

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4. The Cockatiel Handbook

The Cockatiel Handbook is a great find for enthusiasts looking for a book that answers many questions a newbie would have when getting their first bird. That’s where it succeeds. The author jams a lot of information in this book, making it a handy reference for those burning questions. Don’t let the publication date fool you—the details are still relevant.

In-depth health and breeding information is lacking with cursory treatments compared to the rest of the volume. It does have good intel on mutations for those interested in breeding their birds, though.

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5. Cockatiels: The Essential Guide to Ownership, Care, & Training For Your Pet

Cockatiels: The Essential Guide to Ownership, Care, & Training For Your Pet is geared toward first-time pet owners. Some information is useful for these individuals but not helpful for anyone who has owned a bird previously. The author includes a lot of tips many readers will enjoy. However, sections of the book are poorly written and repetitive.

The book succeeds with its discussion about cages. It covers everything, from cleaning to bar spacing. The latter is essential for pet owners moving into cockatiels from budgies. The author offers great information about diet, which many will find helpful.

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6. Cockatiels: A Guide to Caring for Your Cockatiel

Cockatiels: A Guide to Caring for Your Cockatiel succeeds on several scores. It’s easy to understand, thanks to the author’s writing style. It’s also comprehensive without getting too technical or wordy. It includes a lot of insider tips, like costs and avian vets. While it’s dated, it points you in the right direction to connect with other enthusiasts.

This book is geared toward beginners, giving them a decent knowledge base. The writing makes it an easy read, even if some sections aren’t detailed enough for experienced pet owners. It has a lot of tips that come from first-hand care, which many will find helpful.

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7. Your Dream Pet Cockatiel: Twenty-first Century Care, Feeding, and Bonding

Your Dream Pet Cockatiel: Twenty-first Century Care, Feeding, and Bonding is concise and gets to the point on the topics it covers. Much of the material is basic stuff. The things that stood out and justified its title were the discussions on rescue birds and bird-proofing your home. Many books glance over these topics, making this one a standout among the bunch.

Unlike many books we reviewed, this one spent more time on training than breeding. It also touched on whistling and singing, which many of them only glance over without delving into the subject. Pet owners wanting info on breeding won’t find a lot of information here.

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8. Cockatiels Breeding: Get Your Birds To Be Healthy And Happy

Even though Cockatiels Breeding: Get Your Birds To Be Healthy And Happy has a specific focus, the advice it offers is an excellent guide for overall health. The title tells the story about reducing stress in a bird with a low threshold for it. We liked the approach since it covers general cockatiel care, even if it has a narrow focus for the readers it’s trying to reach.

The book reads well, making the technical discussion about mutations accessible to anyone. That includes genetics, which many find intimidating. We liked the part about the bird’s well-being because of this emphasis. This book helps pet owners understand what they need in an accessible way.

Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Cockatiel Book

You can think of these books as an owner’s manual for raising your cockatiel. Veterinarians specializing in birds aren’t as common as dogs and cats, making a reference vital. That’s especially true if you are new to the hobby. Looking up poisonous plants in a book can make a difference in your pet’s health versus trying to find the information online. Things to consider when looking for such a guide include the following:

Topics

Most of the books we reviewed were comprehensive, covering everything from buying a cage to breeding your cockatiel and everything in between! We enjoy products that include information about the bird’s history and its popularity, even if it’s not something we’ll use. Likewise, some pet owners have no intention of breeding their cockatiel and find these details unnecessary.

We recommend skimming the table of contents of any book you’re considering. Make sure it covers the topics you’ll need most, particularly any health-related subjects. Check how much information it provides. Many provide common-sense tidbits that aren’t useful. Look for more details that can help you when needed.

Format

It’s the rare book that is available in only one format, save older reference tomes. This feature is a personal choice. You’ll find options available in paperback and hardcover. You’ll also see e-books and audiobooks. The last two are often cheaper and portable, giving them an edge for some pet owners. The other advantage is that it’s easier for an author to update them, bringing us to our next consideration.

Updates

People have had experience raising cockatiels for over 200 years. Enthusiasts have figured out many vital care aspects, including how to selectively breed for specific color morphs. Most books we reviewed didn’t delve into costs, which would date some. You’ll likely find pertinent information about innovations and current research online. Guides for things like dangerous household products make these books useful.

Conclusion

After completing our reviews, one book stood out as our pick for best of the bunch. The Ultimate Guide To Cockatiels: The Only Pet Cockatiel Book You’ll Ever Need! gives readers an excellent overview of the history of keeping and breeding cockatiels. It’ll leave you feeling grateful for your pet and the joy it brings into your life. The Cockatiels (Complete Pet Owner’s Manual) is another excellent choice for new pet owners, and it’s a perfect option for those trying to save some money while getting the most information possible. No matter what you go with, make sure the contents have what you’re looking for. Our reviews should help make the decision easy!

• See also: 10 Best Toys for Parrots – Reviews & Top Picks

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Featured Image Credit: Miss Nachcha Chayapan, Shutterstock