Budgie / Budgerigar
Modified: 30-11--0001 00:00:00
The Budgerigar (or Budgie), is a small parrot. They are sometimes called parakeets, but the term "parakeet" refers to many small parrots with long flat tails. Originating in Australia, the budgerigar is found throughout the drier parts of the continent.
Characteristics
Budgerigars are about 18 cm long and weigh 30-40 grams, They have green bodies, blue tails, and yellow faces; their wings have greenish-black flight feathers and black coverts with yellow fringes, with black-and-yellow feathering also on the upper mantle and nape. The legs are pink or gray, with zygodactyl toes. The cere (the colored area containing the nostrils) can be used to identify the budgie's gender. When young, the male cere is pinkish purple and the female cere is whitish blue. As the budgie matures, the male cere turns blue and the female cere turns tan to brown. Using the cere to determine the gender of birds with unusual color mutations such as albinos or lutinos is less reliable. It is the only species in the genus Melopsittacus.
Habitat
The budgerigar can be found in open habitats, primarily in scrubland, open woodland and grassland. Breeding can be at any time of the year following good rains which promote the growth of the grass and other plant seeds that comprise their diet. The nest is in a hole in a tree; the 4-7 eggs are incubated for 18 days, with the young fledging (getting it's first coat of feathers) about 30 days after hatching. Outside of breeding, budgerigars are highly nomadic, covering extensive areas in flocks and seeking areas with good food resources. There is also an element of migratory behavior, with the far north of the range occupied in winter (June-September), and the far south in summer (September-January). Populations in some areas have increased as a result of increased water availability at farms.
Name
The word budgerigar comes from the Kamilaroi Aboriginal Australian name for the species, gijirrigaa.
Budgerigars in captivity
The Budgerigar is a very common and familiar pet, believed to be the most common pet parrot in the world, and has been bred in captivity since the 1850s. Breeders have worked over the decades to produce a wide range of colors and mutations, such as yellow, blue, white, violet, olive, albino and lutino, clearwing and spangled. Feather mutations can produce crests or overly long shaggy feathers known as "feather dusters".
Modern show budgerigars are larger than their wild cousins, with puffy head feathers, giving them an exaggerated look. In full show glory, the eyes and beak are almost totally obscured by feathers. This obscuring of the eyes diminishes their quality of life. Such birds are also more prone to genetic mutations because of inbreeding.
Budgerigars are easy to care for, and can be taught to speak, whistle tunes, and play with humans, making them one of the most widely kept birds around the world. They are as intelligent as many larger parrots, and thrive on the mental stimulation of toys and interaction with humans.
In captivity, they live an average of 8 years, but can live into their teens if well cared for. Their life span depends on the budgerigar's type (English budgerigars do not live as long as their cousins in Australia and America, due to years of inbreeding to change their size and features) and the individual bird's health (which is influenced by exercise and diet).
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