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The cockatiel is the only representative of the genus Nymphicus. It was previously thought to be a crested parakeet or small cockatoo; however, later molecular studies have assigned it to its own subfamily, the Nymphicinae. Therefore, it is now classified as the youngest of the Cacatuidae (cockatoo family). Cockatiels are native to Australia, preferring Australian wetlands, scrublands, and bushlands.

Originally described by Scottish writer and naturalist Robert Kerr in 1793 as Psittacus hollandicus, the cockatiel (or cockateel) was transferred by Wagler to its own genus, Nymphicus, in 1832. The name of his family reflects the experience of one of the most famous. Early groups of Europeans to see birds in their native habitat; travelers considered the birds so beautiful that they called them mythical nymphs. The specific name hollandicus refers to New Holland, the historical name of Australia.

Biological connections have long remained uncertain; it is now placed in the monotypic subfamily Nymphicinae, but in the past, it has sometimes been classified as Platycercinae, broad-tailed parrots. This issue has been resolved by molecular research. A study of protein allozymes in 1984 showed that they are more closely associated with cockatoos than with other parrots, and data on the mitochondrial sequence of 12S rRNA placed it in the subfamily Calyptorhynchinae (dark cockatoo). The unique morphological characteristic of the parrot (meaning the long-tailed parrot) is a consequence of a decrease in size and a concomitant change in the ecological niche.

Nuclear intron seven sequence analysis? On the other hand, the fibrinogen gene indicates that it may still be distinct enough to warrant recognition of the Nymphicinae instead of including the genus in the Calyptorhynchinae.

The cockatiel is now biologically classified as a true member of the Cacatuidae due to the general biological characteristics of the cockatoo family, namely erectile crest, gallbladder, powder down, suppressed cloud layer (which precludes the display of blue and green structural colors), and facial feathers covering the sides of beak, they are all rare outside of the Cacatuidae family. This biological relationship with other cockatoos is further supported by the existence of at least one documented case of a successful hybrid between a cockatoo and a galah, another cockatoo species.

The cockatiel’s erectile crest expresses the emotional state of the animal. The back is sharply vertical when the cockatiel is startled or excited, slightly oblique in a neutral or relaxed state, and flattened near the head when the animal is angry or protective.

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