# Cockatiel head feathers?



## Amyy (Apr 23, 2011)

i was wondering about the Cockatiel head feathers...
at what age do they grow really tall and look their best?
or is it even dependent on age?


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Its not dependent on age, its dependent upon mutation of the tiel. Pieds have really strong crests while other mutations will have smaller ones.


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## Amyy (Apr 23, 2011)

okay..thankyou


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

While that is true, a bird's crest won't be its largest until it matures. Since Kirk and Luna have reached 1 year old, both their crests have increased dramatically in length.  They also now flip forward a bit at the very tip.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

> While that is true, a bird's crest won't be its largest until it matures


Not necessarily...as I said it depends on the bird. Mudflap had a ginormous crest as a baby and it was the same once he matured! So every bird is different.


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## SyddyBird (May 17, 2012)

Well that explains why the crest isnt used to measure age then.

I also thought they grew longer after the first molt or so, that was how Sydney was. I thought I could use the length and curl to determine age, because for him it corresponded with his first molt. But, I guess that isnt very accurate.


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

not for all birds. some birds get a nicer crest when they get older. like my dally. 


this was her as a baby











and this is dally's crest now














but tsuka was plucked as a baby, but once he grew in the crest, it did not change much as he got older

younger still growing in the crest, notice its length











and now














so really, it depends on the individual rather than age. some change with their first molt, some stay the same.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

My birds have gotten larger, more full crests when they matured.


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## Amyy (Apr 23, 2011)

Thanks everyone for helping me understand tiel crest growth...
and DallyTsuka,i love the length of ur tiels crest !!


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