Pastelface

Pastelface cockatiels are domestic cockatiels selected for a mutation that softens the yellow and orange pigments of the face and cheek patch. The effect is usually described as a washed or pastel facial color, sitting between the bright mask of a normal cockatiel and the near absence of yellow seen in whiteface birds. Pastelface can appear on normal grey birds and in combinations with pearl, pied, cinnamon, lutino, silver, platinum, and other established mutations, which can make the final look quite variable.

Care does not differ from any other cockatiel, but breeding pastelface birds calls for a clear understanding of mutation inheritance and honest labeling. In many breeding communities it is treated in relation to the whiteface series, so pairing choices affect whether chicks show pastelface, whiteface, or hidden carrier status. Pet buyers should evaluate vitality, tameness, feather condition, and the reliability of the breeder rather than choosing only by cheek color. Good nutrition and low-stress housing help feathers come through cleanly after molts.

Colors: Cinnamon, Cinnamon Pearl, Cinnamon Pied, Emerald, Lutino, Normal Grey, Pearl, Pearl Cinnamon Pied, Pearl Pied, Pied, Platinum, Silver, White Face, Whiteface Cinnamon, Whiteface Lutino, Whiteface Pearl, Whiteface Pied