everything you wanted to know about cockatiels
Cockatiel Age
If possible, get a cockatiel that is still very young and able to learn. Older birds can make good pets too, but there is nothing like a relationship where the cockatiel always remembers you as it's owner.
It can be tricky to determine how old cockatiels are, even professionals find this task daunting. Birds do not have skin that wrinkles, or teeth that show decay like other mammals. A younger bird usually has shorter tail feathers and is slightly duller in colour than adult birds.
A new born cockatiel will show a bald patch behind the crest and the skin around the nostrils is pink up until about 3 months, so that is a good indication to look for when choosing a cockatiel. Although one breed of cockatiel, the Lutinos and the Red-eyed Silver cockatiels, this area remains pink its entire life.