Guest Author - Heather Thomas
Budgerigar Parakeets are the most commonly kept companion bird species. Often referred to as budgies or parakeets, this small charming bird is native to Australia but no longer exported. Budgies were hunted for food; because of this, they were called Budgerigars, meaning “good to eat.”
Size
Typically, budgies weigh between 30-40 grams and are approximately 18 cm in length. There are two common varieties of Budgie, the wild budgie and the English budgie. Most show birds are of the English variety and are larger than their more common counterpart, the wild budgie. This classification is in name only. Wild budgies are exclusively bred in captivity for the pet trade. The Budgie’s small size lends itself to a relatively small cage. The minimum cage requirements for this small bird would be 18’ x 18’. However, due to their energetic nature, it is best to provide the largest cage you can reasonably afford and have space for. Be sure to provide a variety of toys to entertain your feathered friend. Variety will keep your bird from being bored.
Talking Ability
Budgies, like other birds, use vocalization to communicate with their flock. It is natural for birds to mimic human speech. While not all budgies will learn to speak, they do have the ability and are know to be quite good talkers. Companion birds learn to mimic human speech through repetition. This may occur through the natural repetition of daily interaction with your bird or through purposeful repetition with the sole intention of teaching a word or phrase to your bird.
Color Variety
While green is the most common color, budgies are bred to produce many color mutations. These colors are categorized primarily by shades of blue or green. Most budgies have striped bars on their wings, although this also can be bred out to produce a solid color budgie. One of the budgie’s unique attributes is the ability to determine the sex of an adult bird by the color of its cere. The cere is the area of skin surrounding the nostrils. An adult male bird’s cere will be blue, while a female’s will be a shade of tan or pink.
Lifespan and Care
The average lifespan of a budgie is approximately 7-15 years. However, some live longer. The lifespan of the budgie is directly related to its care and diet. For a healthy bird, provide a variety of seeds, pellets, fruits and vegetables. A weekly bath will keep your bird’s feathers in great condition. Most budgies prefer to take a bath in a shallow dish of water. Weekly cage maintenance also adds to a healthy environment.
Budgies make great pets and because of their economic size and cost, are great for a first time bird owner. However, because of their long lifespan a decision to own a budgie should be considered carefully.
EnglishBudgies: About English budgies
http://www.englishbudgies.org/about-english-budgies.php
budgie-info: Budgie Body Colors
http://www.budgie-info.com/budgie-body-colors.html
