Can you teach a female cockatiel to whistle?

reeb

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Oct 23, 2017
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Cape Town, South Africa
Parrots
Berry (ā™€ Cockatiel) hatched June 2017
Opal (ā™‚ Budgie) hatched 13 August 2017
Pearl (ā™€ Budgie) hatched 15 August 2017
+ an aviary of 16 other budgies! all hatched 2014-2017
Hi there,

According to most sources, I have found that it isn't possible to teach a female cockatiel to whistle. My cockatiel, Berry, is a girl and I am curious as to whether it is possible at all to teach her to whistle, from anyone's personal experience?

Thanks!
:grey:
 

ParrotLover2001

New member
Dec 20, 2016
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In my parents house
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A cockatiel, a bourke, and three budgies
I have no experience with female cockatiels, but I do know that it is possible to teach them to whistle, but not all females will learn. I have a female lovebird who mimics almost everything, and based off of many things I've read, females can learn, it's just that males are more likely to learn. In the wild males mimic the calls of females, which is why males are more likely to mimic than females are.
Female cockatiels learning to whistle isn't unheard of.

Sent from my Galaxy s8
 

clark_conure

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Jul 14, 2017
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A crossover Quaker Scuti (F), A Sun conure named AC, A Cinnamon Green Cheek conure Kent, and 6 budgies, Scuti Jr. (f), yellow (m), clark Jr. (m), Dot (f), Zebra(f), Machine (m).
it's ABSOLUTELY possible to teach them to whistle.....in fact I never even questioned it. My first bird was a female cockatiel and it would wolf whistle and a few other types.

Whistle to it a lot and it will pick it up....now I'm not saying you can teach it the andy griffith theme song but simple call and re-call whistles, no doubt. Just work on it.
 

itzjbean

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Jan 27, 2017
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Iowa, USA
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2 cockatiels
My female cockatiel won't whistle like my male does, either she never learned or just doesn't want to. I don't hold it against her, she's the more quieter one anyways, though she'll chirp up a storm in the morning, just won't whistle like my male does. He'll do the wolf whistle over and over and that's about it. lol
 

clark_conure

Well-known member
Jul 14, 2017
3,943
Media
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Minnesota
Parrots
A crossover Quaker Scuti (F), A Sun conure named AC, A Cinnamon Green Cheek conure Kent, and 6 budgies, Scuti Jr. (f), yellow (m), clark Jr. (m), Dot (f), Zebra(f), Machine (m).
My female cockatiel won't whistle like my male does, either she never learned or just doesn't want to. I don't hold it against her, she's the more quieter one anyways, though she'll chirp up a storm in the morning, just won't whistle like my male does. He'll do the wolf whistle over and over and that's about it. lol

It might be because my female was alone and bonded to my family....I'm sure that added to it wanting to mimic us vs. talking to other cockatiels?....Probably a strong factor...
 

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