[rvnkontum]

This is Gorgeous George, had him for about 2 weeks now, not sure how old he is, but mostly why his head is the color it is. Guy I got him from said he was 3 months old when I got him, I don’t believe that, but I’m left wondering why his head is mostly grey. I know it’s a boy, just got his DNA results yesterday, MALE. I think he’s pied, back of his head is white, has white splotch on his back near his tail. I’m wondering if this has anything to do with his head color, or if he just hasn’t molted into his mature colors yet what do you think?

 

[rvnkontum]

It's because he is a pied. When a cockatiel is pied, they look the same even after their molt. He's what's considered as having a dirty face. I have two pieds, one male and the other female, and they both have grey and yellow on their face. The one on the top is the male; he has what's called a dirty face. The one below is the female, and she has more yellow, looking like a male, yet she is a DNA'd female that's even had chicks before. That's what's so unique about pieds. Not every one is the same. View attachment 96366

It's because he is a pied. When a cockatiel is pied, they look the same even after their molt. He's what's considered as having a dirty face. I have two pieds, one male and the other female, and they both have grey and yellow on their face. The one on the top is the male; he has what's called a dirty face. The one below is the female, and she has more yellow, looking like a male, yet she is a DNA'd female that's even had chicks before. That's what's so unique about pieds. Not every one is the same. View attachment 96366

That’s what I was afraid of , he’s a nice little guy, but I was really hoping for a normal grey. I had one for 17 years and he passed a couple of years ago. It’s important to me to have a normal grey. I’m going to have to exchange him before I get too invested here. Fortunately the place where I got him doesn’t have a problem with that.