Budgerigar
Melopsittacus undulatus
The Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) is a uncommon old world parrot found in 77 countries, weighing about 29 g. The budgerigar, also known as the common parakeet, shell parakeet or budgie, is a small, long-tailed, seed-eating parrot native to Australia.
About the Budgerigar
The budgerigar, also known as the common parakeet, shell parakeet or budgie, is a small, long-tailed, seed-eating parrot native to Australia. Naturally, the species is green and yellow with black, scalloped markings on the nape, back, and wings. Budgies are bred in captivity with colouring of blues, whites, yellows, greys, and even with small crests. Juveniles and chicks are monomorphic, while adults are told apart by their cere colouring and their behaviour.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Wild budgerigars average 18 cm (7 in) long, weigh 30–40 grams (1.1–1.4 oz), 30 cm (12 in) in wingspan, and display a light green body colour, while their mantles display pitch-black mantle markings (blackish in fledglings and immatures) edged in clear yellow undulations. The forehead and face is yellow in adults. Prior to their adult plumage, young individuals have blackish stripes down to the cere in young individuals until around 3–4 months of age. They display small, iridescent blue-violet cheek patches and a series of three black spots across each side of their throat.
What the Budgerigar sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Canada, Belgium, United Kingdom, India, New Zealand, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Morocco, Panama, Ecuador, Netherlands, Poland, Costa Rica, Honduras, Norway, Curaçao, Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Hungary, North Macedonia, Egypt, Jamaica, Martinique, Venezuela, Cambodia, Denmark, Croatia, Russia.
When to see it
Best months: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in September. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Budgerigar?
- Wild budgerigars average 18 cm (7 in) long, weigh 30–40 grams (1.1–1.4 oz), 30 cm (12 in) in wingspan, and display a light green body colour, while their mantles display pitch-black mantle markings (blackish in fledglings and immatures) edged in clear yellow undulations. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Budgerigar?
- The Budgerigar is a small sized bird weighing about 29 g.
- Where can you see a Budgerigar?
- The Budgerigar occurs in 77 countries, including Australia, the United States, Taiwan, France and Spain.
- What does a Budgerigar sound like?
- You can listen to a field recording of the Budgerigar on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Budgerigar?
- The Budgerigar is most easily confused with the Blue-winged Parakeet, the Rosy-faced Lovebird and the Red-breasted Parakeet.
- Is the Budgerigar endangered?
- The Budgerigar is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Budgerigar for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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