Cockatiels are a lovely pet for new and advanced bird owners.
If you’re considering adopting one, you need to research how to care for it before you bring it home properly. Pet birds require particular care and are prone to hidden household dangers, so you shouldn’t adopt one on a whim. Do yourself a favor by researching these beautiful birds so you can not only provide them with a happy home but one that’s healthy and enriching, too.
There are many cockatiel books out there, but some are outdated or full of dangerous advice. Our list of reviews below provides you with the accurate information you need to give your cockatiel the life it deserves.
Whether you need a basic introduction to bird ownership or wish to delve deeper into training and breeding your cockatiel, these 10 titles below should have everything you need.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites
Image Product Details
Best Overall
Complete Care Made Easy – Cockatiels
Great for beginner bird owners
Well-rounded and informational
Accurate diet advice
Check Price
Best Value
Cockatiels for Dummies
Fun to read
Written by an expert
Easy to digest material
Check Price
Premium Choice
The Cockatiel Handbook
Beautiful color photos
Great for beginner owners
Advice on choosing a breeder
Check Price
Cockatiels as Pets
Easy to read
Prompt delivery
Great jumping-off point
Check Price
Cockatiels As Pets
Affordable price
Great for bird beginners
Wide range of topics
Check Price
The 10 Best Cockatiel Books
The best overall cockatiel book is Angela Davids’ Complete Care Made Easy guide. This is a must-have book for first-time bird owners looking to welcome a cockatiel into their lives. The book offers advice on choosing the perfect bird, how to care for it, and how to keep it healthy. In addition, it can help you select the best cage for your new cockatiel, where to place it in your home, and what types of accessories and toys you need to splurge on for your new pet.
Number of Pages: 168
Format: Paperback, Kindle
Author: Angela Davids
Check Price on Chewy
There is an entire section devoted to the perfect cockatiel diet. The last two chapters of the guide discuss the genetics of this tropical bird, breeding, and the different color variations you can expect.
Pros
Great for beginner bird owners
Well-rounded and informational
Accurate diet advice
Easy to understand
Cons
No section on correcting bad behavior
Cockatiels for Dummies provides prospective cockatiel owners with a fabulous introduction to bird ownership. It comes at a very affordable price, making it the best cockatiel book for the money.
Great for beginner bird owners
Well-rounded and informational
Accurate diet advice
Easy to understand
- Great for beginner bird owners
- Well-rounded and informational
- Accurate diet advice
- Easy to understand
No section on correcting bad behavior
- No section on correcting bad behavior
Number of Pages: 224
Format: Paperback
Author: Diane Grindol
An expert on companion birds writes this thorough book, so you know you’re getting high-quality and accurate information, even though Grindol wrote it over 20 years ago.
This book touches on topics such as caring for your bird, forming a relationship, selecting the perfect bird, and how to train them. There is even a section on night frights, an issue common amongst cockatiels. Grindol writes in an easy-to-follow way and provides many practical tips and trivia so reading her book is both informative and fun.
Pros
Fun to read
Written by an expert
Easy to digest material
Affordable price
Cons
Not for people with bird experience
Though The Cockatiel Handbook by Mary Gorman is a bit pricier than others in our guide, its comprehensiveness makes it a must-have for all bird fanciers.
Fun to read
Written by an expert
Easy to digest material
Affordable price
- Fun to read
- Written by an expert
- Easy to digest material
- Affordable price
Not for people with bird experience
- Not for people with bird experience
Number of Pages: 144
Format: Paperback
Author: Mary Gorman
This handbook covers essential topics such as dietary needs, housing, and healthcare. There’s an entire section on how to find a reputable and reliable breeder or seller and a section dedicated to the origin and typical traits of cockatiels. It’s also full of high-quality photos to accompany its chapters.
The author provides practical advice on how to spend quality time with your new pet and how to read its body language, an essential skill all bird owners need to master.
Though this is the oldest book we’re reviewing today, it’s still full of relevant and accurate information.
Pros
Beautiful color photos
Great for beginner owners
Advice on choosing a breeder
Advice on reading body language
Cons
10+ years old
- Cockatiels as Pets
Check Latest Price
Number of Pages: 118
Format: Paperback
Author: Louis Vine
This short, to-the-point paperback from Louis Vine is broken down into four easy-to-digest chapters. The first chapter focuses on the need-to-know information for first-time cockatiel owners. The second provides advice on the various supplies and accessories you’ll need to keep your new pet happy and healthy. The third chapter is devoted to grooming your cockatiel and the general upkeep you should be prepared to do. The final chapter delves deep into the common health problems of cockatiels and what you need to do to keep yours as healthy as possible.
Beautiful color photos
Great for beginner owners
Advice on choosing a breeder
Advice on reading body language
- Beautiful color photos
- Great for beginner owners
- Advice on choosing a breeder
- Advice on reading body language
10+ years old
- 10+ years old
Check Latest Price
Number of Pages: 118
Format: Paperback
Author: Louis Vine
This book is a great starting point for first-time bird owners, so it’s not a great option for people that have owned birds in the past.
Pros
Easy to read
Prompt delivery
Great jumping-off point
Cons
Some of the information is straightforward
- Cockatiels As Pets
Check Latest Price
Number of Pages: 121
Format: Paperback, Kindle
Author: Donald Sunderland
The easy-to-digest book, Cockatiels As Pets, has eight chapters that cover topics like sourcing a cockatiel, caring for and bonding with your new pet, the cost of bird ownership, and even breeding. It’s an excellent resource for prospective bird owners and can even provide helpful information for people who have experience with cockatiels. We appreciated that the author doesn’t just talk about the positives of cockatiel ownership but also speaks about how demanding they can be and the behavioral issues they can develop.
Easy to read
Prompt delivery
Great jumping-off point
- Easy to read
- Prompt delivery
- Great jumping-off point
Some of the information is straightforward
- Some of the information is straightforward
Number of Pages: 121
Format: Paperback, Kindle
Author: Donald Sunderland
Though this book is straightforward to read, it is a bit mundane in appearance. There aren’t many photos to look at, but many big chunks of text.
Pros
Affordable price
Great for bird beginners
Wide range of topics
Easy to understand
Cons
Mundane, lacking photos
- Your Dream Pet Cockatiel
Check Latest Price
Number of Pages: 128
Format: Paperback, Kindle
Author: Darla Birde
This well-written handbook, Your Dream Pet Cockatiel, from Darla Birde is a fantastic, comprehensive guide for cockatiel aficionados and first-time bird owners. It contains sections on bird-proofing your home, choosing the perfect cage, what to expect when you bring your cockatiel home, and advice on raising older or rescued cockatiels. It also provides advice on reading your pet’s body language, wing clipping, and grooming tips.
Affordable price
Great for bird beginners
Wide range of topics
Easy to understand
- Affordable price
- Great for bird beginners
- Wide range of topics
- Easy to understand
Mundane, lacking photos
- Mundane, lacking photos
Number of Pages: 128
Format: Paperback, Kindle
Author: Darla Birde
This book is easy to understand and is chock full of great advice. It even has several recipes for DIY cockatiel muffins. The downside is that it’s very plain-looking and doesn’t have any images at all.
Pros
Easy to understand
Useful information
Comprehensive for first timers
Cons
No images
- Cockatiels: The Essential Guide to Ownership
Check Latest Price
Number of Pages: 126
Format: Paperback, Kindle
Author: Kate H Pellham
This cockatiel guideline from Kate Pellham is the perfect companion for the beginner cockatiel owner or anyone considering adopting one as a pet. It teaches prospective owners how to select a bird, care for it once you bring it home, and form a beautiful relationship with one another. It discusses essential topics such as feeding your new pet and how to create a living area where it can thrive. There’s even information about training, breeding, and grooming. We loved the section on how to bird-proof your home to ensure your cockatiel lives in a safe environment.
Easy to understand
Useful information
Comprehensive for first timers
- Easy to understand
- Useful information
- Comprehensive for first timers
No images
- No images
Number of Pages: 126
Format: Paperback, Kindle
Author: Kate H Pellham
There is some redundant and conflicting information throughout the guide, however. For example, the book lists tomatoes on both its Toxic Foods and Safe Foods list. As a result, this book works best as a reference guide but shouldn’t be taken entirely as fact.
Pros
Easy to read and follow
Covers many topics
Helpful for beginners
Basic information
Cons
Conflicting at points
Some grammatical and spelling errors
- Preparing for My First Cockatiel
Check Latest Price
Number of Pages: 100
Format: Paperback, Kindle, Audiobook
Author: Laurel A. Rockefeller
This beginner cockatiel book, Preparing for My First Cockatiel, is a perfect companion for adults and their children to learn what they need to prepare to bring their cockatiel home. Unlike other books on our list that try to jampack the pages with content, this guide instead focuses on what you need to do and buy before your new bird even comes home. Topics covered include cage advice, perches, food, toys, and play spaces. There is also information on how to communicate with new or shy cockatiels, so you’ll be ready to start bonding with your bird as soon as they come home.
Easy to read and follow
Covers many topics
Helpful for beginners
Basic information
- Easy to read and follow
- Covers many topics
- Helpful for beginners
- Basic information
Conflicting at points
Some grammatical and spelling errors
- Conflicting at points
- Some grammatical and spelling errors
Number of Pages: 100
Format: Paperback, Kindle, Audiobook
Author: Laurel A. Rockefeller
Pros
Great as preparation for bird ownership
Easy to read and understand
Advice on bonding with shy birds
Cons
Not as thorough as other options
- Cockatiels (Animal Planet® Pet Care Library)
Check Latest Price
Number of Pages: 223
Format: Hardcover, Kindle
Author: Ellen Fusz
This cockatiel book comes from the Animal Plant library, so you know the information inside is accurate. It touches on topics such as the perfect housing environment for your cockatiel, how to feed and house it, and training tips. We loved the many beautiful, full-color photos throughout the book, too.
Great as preparation for bird ownership
Easy to read and understand
Advice on bonding with shy birds
- Great as preparation for bird ownership
- Easy to read and understand
- Advice on bonding with shy birds
Not as thorough as other options
- Not as thorough as other options
Number of Pages: 223
Format: Hardcover, Kindle
Author: Ellen Fusz
It has helpful tip boxes in every chapter that can be useful for getting every member of the family involved in your new cockatiel’s care. We recommend this book for families with children to read together before and after bringing your new pet home.
Though this book is informative, it doesn’t delve too deeply into any topics. It provides a fantastic introduction to all you need to know as a first-time cockatiel owner, though.
Pros
Great for beginners
Beautiful photos
Perfect for families with children
Hardcover option is nice
Cons
Not as detailed as it could be
Buyer’s Guide: How to Find the Best Cockatiel Book
There are a lot of cockatiel books on the market, but many are mediocre at best. The ten books we listed above are the best options, but there are some further factors you might wish to consider before buying a cockatiel book.
Great for beginners
Beautiful photos
Perfect for families with children
Hardcover option is nice
- Great for beginners
- Beautiful photos
- Perfect for families with children
- Hardcover option is nice
Not as detailed as it could be
- Not as detailed as it could be
Author Credibility
Since self-publishing has become so popular and anyone can publish a book, there are some poorly written options full of inaccurate information. You don’t want to buy a book about animal care from someone who has never owned that animal before.
We recommend researching the authors above before choosing the book you’ll buy. We think they know their stuff; otherwise, they wouldn’t have made our top ten list, but you might want to know more about who has written your book to see if you agree with their ideas.
Readability
If you’re looking for a book about cockatiels, chances are you’re a prospective or brand-new bird owner. You don’t want to spend money on a book full of jargon you can’t understand. The best book for you will be written in clear and easy-to-read language.
You also want something that is going to hold your attention. A book that’s been poorly written or is written in dull language won’t keep you interested in it for long.
Photographs & Format
You should also consider what the book physically looks like and the format it comes in.
While this may seem unimportant, a visually appealing book with color images and fun text boxes often holds the reader’s attention better than plain books without images. If you’re a visual learner or prefer reading books with pictures, some of the books on our list will work better for you than others. Some options are strictly text, while others have images interspersed throughout.
The books on our list come in several format options. You can choose paperback, hardcover, audiobook, or e-book options.
Hardcovers and paperbacks are nice because you’ll have a physical copy of the book that you can store on your bookshelf.
Audiobooks are great for busy people who don’t have time to sit down and read a book. You can listen to it while you commute or cook, instead.
E-books are great for people who prefer to read in digital format. It can be downloaded and read from anywhere, provided you have the right app on your phone.
Conclusion
Only you know what kind of content will be helpful to you as a prospective or new bird owner. Use our reviews as a jumping-off point so you can find the perfect book that suits your needs.
For the best overall cockatiel book, Complete Care Made Easy – Cockatiels is great for its accurate information and easy-to-digest content. The best value book, Cockatiels for Dummies, not only for its affordable price but also for its clear and concise information.
- See also: 9 Best Bird Books – Reviews & Top Picks
Featured Image Credit: Nipa Noymol, Shutterstock
