A lot of bird enthusiasts wonder – can cockatiels see in the dark?
This is a curious question that intrigues a lot of people, this is why you may want to keep reading to find the answer to this question.
After all, cockatiels are fascinating creatures with personalities that interest so many people. If you want to know if your pet cockatiel can see in the dark, keep reading to learn more!
Can Cockatiels See In the Dark
The simple answer to this is a yes. However, there is a catch – they do not see as clearly. This is why they have a tendency to suffer from night frights, especially when the lighting is not quite clear. It explains the situation where they panic and try to fly around or make noises at night.
Since they are not seeing very clearly, they imagine something is always out to get them. They get freaked out about shadows that objects form and this causes them to get stressed due to night terrors.
They have great eyesight, but they do not always have very good vision at night. The reason for this is that they are diurnal. So, they are quite active during daytime and then sleep during the night. These birds also have photoreceptors such as the rods and cones. Basically, cones allow them to see details and colors while rods help with their night vision.
In the daytime, cockatiels use both cones and rods to be able to see things clearly. But their vision is a bit more limited during the night because the cones are not active. While they have no problem with seeing things in low light conditions, the details and colors appear to be missing.
On the other hand, some other birds such as kiwis and owls are night active creatures that enable them to see in the dark without any problem. This is why cockatiels do not see as much because of the fact that they are diurnal. And so, challenges come for them in the dark when they don’t see things as clearly as during the day.
In their natural habitat, cockatiels typically rise in the early morning. Then, they engage in several activities such as singing and foraging for food. At sunset, however, they should get ready to sleep. Now, if there are some disturbances such as flashing lights or loud noises at night, their natural tendency is to fly and escape these scary things.
So, if they are in a cage, and something surprising awakens them at night, they do their best to try to escape. Which is why they can hit their heads and bodies against the hard metal material of their cage and suffer from injuries or even die. These night frights make them feel trapped and immensely afraid, so they panic and try to do all they can to protect themselves.
If your pet is thrashing around their cage at night, then it is a clear sign of night terrors. It causes their breathing and heart rate to elevate. They may also make some unusual noises due to panic, and these actions can cause severe injuries to them. Thus, you need to reassure your pet and soothe its worries.
With these things in mind, it may be good to provide your pet with a nightlight and keep it close to the cage. By doing so, your pet should be able to see clearly even in the dark. Then, you should close the curtains or put a pin to prevent the lights from the outside from coming in and causing fear to your pet. You should also try to speak calmly and in a low tone when you try to enter your pet’s sleeping area while it is sleeping.
Understanding How Cockatiels See
A cockatiel’s eyesight is actually acute. Because of this, they can find food or spot predators easily during the day. But when they are domesticated, they can be responsive to the different changes in their surroundings.
These birds are known to see things up to 3 miles away. Hence, this allows them to see any potential threats even from a very long distance. When they are foraging for food, this acute vision also enables them to locate their food sources.
But if the weather condition is bad, then this prevents these birds from seeing very clearly even at daytime. For instance, if it is overcast or foggy, then they will not be capable of seeing far distances unlike when the day is bright and clear. This is why at dawn or dusk, their vision is not always crystal clear as compared to during mid-day.
Additionally, these birds lack binocular vision. Humans have this type of vision but cockatiels don’t, and this prevents them from judging distances accurately. Because of this, you need to ensure the correct dimensions for their cage instead of making it too small or too big.
A cockatiel’s eye has a fascinating and extraordinary structure that makes it adapt well to its environment. Their field of vision is quite large because their eyes are also big. They can see almost 360 degrees of their surroundings – and they do not even have to move their heads to do so. Hence, they can spot predators and threats easily and quickly.
But at night, it can be a problem, so it is important to soothe them when night terrors strike.
Read More: Parakeets And Cockatiels – Can They Get Along Or Not?
Bottom Line
We hope this answers your question on cockatiels and their ability to see things in the dark. As you have known, they have great vision during the day, but it is a different story at night. This explains the night frights they tend to get, especially when they cannot understand those shadows, lights, and noises that they experience when darkness falls.
Hence, as their owner, you need to prevent these things from happening that can trigger intense fear to your pet. Put a cover over the cage or place a nightlight right next to the cage to ease your pet’s worry by helping it to see clearly even at night and in the dark.
