cockateil beak and feathers on head

Question
Why is my cockateil's beak curved? what is the name for the feathers on top of his head? How do I tell the difference between a male and a female?

Answer
If your bird's beak is growing abnormally, you should get him/her to an avian vet asap!  However, if you are refering to the way parrots (hookbills) have a natural curve on the top portion of their beak- this is to help them better open seeds, nuts and tear off bits of veggies, fruits and other healthy foods.

The group of feathers that the bird can hold up or down (depending on their mood) is called the crest.

And here is an article for information on sexing your cockatiel: http://www.cockatiels.org/articles/genetics/vsexing.html

Some color mutations of cockatiels cannot be visually sexed, but most can be.

I hope this helps.

-Maggie