The Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulates), also known as parakeet, or simply, budgie, is one of the most amazing and beautiful birds still left on the planet. Budgies are a species of parrots mostly found naturally in Australia. It is said that budgies have been around for over 4 million years.
Very attention-seeking birds and relatively easy to bond with, budgies love to sing and walk around their habitat and will most likely walk around your body if you give them a chance. They can also talk, so you could train them to have a conversation.
How do budgies look?
Budgies are seven to eight inches long and have a natural green body color, while part of their wings are yellow and then black on the edge. Although there are a variety of color variations thanks to mixed breeding.
Adult budgies have small patches of purple on their cheeks and three dark spots on the sides of their throat. Usually budgies have long dark blue tails, with yellow color around the edge. They have bluish-grey legs and feet, or sometimes brown colored depending on the gender.
Their cere or nostril are blue or purple, some budgies also have white or brown cere with a touch of pink, also dependent on the sex of the budgie. Young female budgies usually have chalky white cere or nostrils, and albino males have purplish-pink cere throughout their lifetime. Budgie plumages usually glow in UV light.
Budgies are very popular for their many color variations; in fact, it’s one of the many things that make them special. Budgies’ colors range from light green to lutino color and even as far as grey.
Colors make budgies very attractive, not just to humans but also their spouse when it’s mating season. Their colors are usually bright and are determined by mating and their genetic makeup.
What do budgies eat?
These curious birds that are generally willing to try out most of the goodies you present to them, so they are relatively easy to feed. Budgies are vegetarians, so a healthy diet should contain seeds, vegetables, and fruits.
Budgies will also eat lentils, beans, peas, tofu, and sesame seeds. Some seeds that budgies enjoy are Canary seed, white sunflower seed, safflower seed, sesame seed, striped sunflower and, millet spray. For a complete guide on how to feed your budgie, check out budgie diet and everything you need to know.
Budgie’s personality
All birds have different and unique personal characteristics or behavior, and budgies are no different. They are social animals that require the company because they usually flock together in the wild.
So if you intend to buy a budgie, you have nothing to worry about when it comes to bonding, because a budgie will easily bond with you if you give it your time. However if you do not have the time to lay with your budgie it best you buy two, so they could keep each other company.
Budgies can get very depressed when left alone, so make sure to have time for these little creatures.
Taking care of a budgie
Already have a budgie or consider getting one? Seven ways to keep your budgie happy can be a handy article, as they are very special birds. You need to know how to accommodate it, feed it, and keep it healthy. If a budgie is not taken care of it could lead to health problems, both physically and psychologically. Some of the things, you can do to make a budgie comfortable includes:
- Build it a comfortable home
- Feed it properly
- Perform routine medical check-ups
- Keep them company
For the complete guide, read how to take care of your budgie.
Where to get a budgie
Can be found in most local pet shops, as they are the most common species of parrots. They can also be found at animal shelters or parrot rescue. If you can’t find one near, it could also be ordered online through bird shopping platforms.
All budgies are parakeets, but not all parakeets are budgies. There are different types of parakeets, each one being unique, varying in colors, size and personalities.
Budgies are precious birds that would be great to have around. Hopefully, this article has helped guide you through parakeet world. If you love them, be sure to get one for your home. They are very lovely to hang around.
