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Budgerigars- Erakina

April 5, 2023 7 Mins Read
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Budgerigar is a small parrot that belongs to the species family of Melopsittacus undulatus. They are also known as Parakeet and are nicknamed ‘Budgie’. They are in green and yellow in color with black markings on the neck, back, and wings. Males have blue coloring around their beaks while females have pink or purple colors in that area. These birds are one of the most popular caged birds all throughout the world because of their beauty and friendly nature.

Budgerigars can be found in the drier parts of Australia where nearly more than 100 birds or sometimes even more than that can be seen gathered together in open habitats or wetlands. It is believed that Budgerigars have survived in Australia for more than 5 million years. These birds are also very beautiful in their appearance and so they have been the center of attraction for millions of years.

These birds are quite fascinating to see and one can also enjoy their companionship because of their free and frank nature. They can also mimic human speech and can add aesthetic beauty to nature through their bright and colorful appearance. Budgerigars can be categorized as the third most popular pet in the world after cats and dogs. People show a great urge to domesticate these birds in their houses because of their charm and beauty.

Budgerigar on a tree branch
Bright parakeet resting on tree twig in daylight

Appearance and Personality of Budgerigars

  • Size of budgerigars

The size of the Budgerigars ranges from 15-18 cm in length and weighs nearly 23-32 grams. They are smaller in size in comparison to large parrots. Moreover, wild budgerigars are a little larger in size than the ones held in captivity.

  • Colors of Budgerigars

Wild budgerigars range in different colors while the most common colors range from green body color and mantle is black edged in yellow. The forehead and the face of the adult budgerigar are yellow in color while the young ones are black and yellow till they reach three or four months of age. These birds have been generally bred in colors like blue, purple, and white while in pet stores they can be found in colors like blue, green, and white. 

  • Nature of Budgerigars

Budgerigars are generally very easy-to-go birds as they can easily be tamed and can be caged with no such restrictions or health problems if handled with care. They should be caged only with a bird of their own species and not with any other bird as quarrels might happen and it can harm any of the two birds. No two budgies can be of the same personality. They can have vast differences in their attitude towards the other budgie and also their liking for toys can also differ. 

Behavior of Budgerigar

  • Habitat of Budgerigars

Budgerigars that are found in the wild are basically nomadic birds that are primarily found in Australian wetlands, scrublands, and woodlands. These birds can survive without water for a long period of time but they do not normally stay away from surface water and they favor eucalyptus bordering water courses. These birds can normally be seen in flocks of 50-100 but they can also form large flocks of even thousands of birds under favorable conditions which is related to the availability of food and water.

  • Migration of Budgerigars

These budgerigars can fly in flocks from one habitat to another if drought hits their area. Even in thousands, they can fly together in perfect unison turning and twisting swiftly from one direction to another. They will find another habitat for themselves and will mark their own area where they will start flocking in large numbers. Wild budgerigars are plenty in numbers with a population of more than five million. 

From where we can buy a Budgerigar?

Budgerigars can be popularly found in pet stores all throughout the world. But one should properly observe before buying a budgerigar. If it is kept in some dirty place then one should avoid buying from that place. One should do a proper investigation before buying these birds because if not properly handled in a pet store, kept in an unhygienic place, and not allowed to leave the cage then it is natural that the birds will have some disease. So, after properly judging everything one should buy a budgerigar.

Budgerigars
Unrecognizable woman with small budgerigars

Diet of Budgerigars

  • Fruits

Budgerigars are most often found feeding on fruits or the seeds of the fruits. They really enjoy eating fruits that have seeds on them and also comprise nearly 70% of their diet. Their diet should be rich in nutrition and energy as it will keep them healthy and energetic and also keep them away from diseases.

  • Vegetables

These birds can also be seen eating green leafy vegetables as we all know that vegetables are high in nutrition and minerals which can keep them healthy and strong. Eating vegetables also give them the energy to play around the house making fun and excitement. The other part of the budgerigar diet may come from cooked egg or meat.

Health of Budgerigars

  • Health problems

Budgerigars can experience a number of health problems like liver disease, foot disorder, scaly face mites, intestinal parasites, and iodine deficiency which can result in tumors and goitres. These diseases can be avoided if taken proper care of Budgerigars beforehand. As they are very small creatures so handling them with proper care is highly recommended.

  • Obesity

Budgerigars generally feed on seeds or fruits having seeds so they also suffer from obesity. So, to minimize the risk of obesity they should be fed more seedless fruits and vegetables instead of only seeds and grains.

  • Provide a healthy diet

Budgerigars should also be offered cuttlefish and mineral-rich foods as these foods will provide calcium and other minerals which are lacking in foods with seeds. So, by including vegetables, fruits, and cuttlefish in the diet of Budgerigar a large number of illnesses can be get ridden.

Budgerigar
Close-up of a Green Budgerigar

Reproduction of Budgerigars

  • Breeding

Budgerigars breeding is one of the most fascinating sites that anyone will love to witness. The reproduction involves the male counterpart standing on the female’s back while beak contact is made between the two of them. The male Budgerigar will wrap his tail over the female’s raised tail and place its reproductive organ against hers and rub it back and forth to develop emission. The male budgerigar may go away for some time but will come back again for the next session. Breeding generally takes place between the month of June and September in the north and August and January in the south. 

  • Types of breeders

Budgerigars are of two types: domesticated and wild. Domesticated breeders normally easily reproduce without much problem while wild budgerigars need to find a proper and safe place for mating as they normally live in forests or wetlands which are home to thousands of other animals. Domesticated breeders generally use breeding boxes while the ones in the wild find a place in a hollow tree or log to breed. 

Mimic the Human speech

Budgerigars are regarded as one of the most popular caged birds that can mimic human speech very easily and also distinctly. A budgerigar by the name of Puck holds the world record for the largest ever vocabulary by any bird at 1728 words. Puck’s name has been mentioned in the Guinness Book of World Records in 1995.

The budgerigar normally speaks words related to daily life and whenever they listen to their owners talking they try to mimic them. Most of their mimicry is related to foods and they naturally stomp on the food instead of asking for it.

Types of Budgerigars

Budgerigars come in different colors and combinations but their colors are very rare which is why they are in large demand and also expensive

  • Black Budgerigars

These budgerigars are rarest in the world as a specific type of gene mutation causes their fur to turn black in color. These birds have two or more colors under their black stripes and that is usually green and blue. Their face is also painted black.

Black Budgerigar
Black budgerigar on a wooden stand

  • Japanese Helicopter Budgie

These budgies are also formed from a rare genetic mutation. They are named Helicopter budgies because the mutation caused a change in the direction of the growth of their feathers resulting in their wings looking like helicopters. Because of this rare genetic mutation, these budgerigars will face difficulties in flying as well. They may fall during flying and cause harm to themselves.

Helicopter Budgerigar
A helicopter budgie sitting on a thin stick

  • A Half sider Budgie

These budgerigars are a combination of two colors in the same body. One half of their body is blue in color while the other half is green. People find it hard to believe because both colors are equally distributed in their bodies. This is nothing but a beautiful creation of nature and we are lucky enough to witness such beauty in our surroundings.

Half-sider Budgerigar
A half-sider budgie sitting on a stick

As we saw Budgerigars are a category of parrots that are much smaller in size and also they are one of the most talked about birds in the world because of their different types, colors, and mutations. They are very much attractive to the human eye and can be domesticated at home. 

By:- Shramana Sarma Roy

Date:- 02-01-2023

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