Nick,

I you are thinking of a cockatiel as only a pet, a single bird is what we would recommend. Whether you decide to buy one or two, take your time when looking for them. You want a healthy bird first, personality second and mutation (color) probably last.

There are many good breeders that specialize in cockatiels and it is well worth the extra effort to seek out those people. Too often a person will purchase the first bird that catches their eye and forget, though the bird is pretty, it may not be really healthy or it may not be as tame as they assumed.