ANIMAL: Budgerigar Melopsittacus undulatus Type of Animal: Parrot Habitat: Savanna, grassland, woodland, farmland, scrubland, coastal areas/coastlines, dry open plains, waterways, mulga, mallee, spinifex desert, forest Location(s): Australia. Introduced in Florida. Appearance: Wild form has light green abdomen/rumps, yellow forehead/face, olive gray bill, blueish gray legs, greenish-black flight feathers, black markings on back/wings, young birds have blackish stripes down to cere (nose). Cere blue in males/ pale brown to white in nonbreeding females/brown in breeding females/pearlescent in juveniles (young males often have purplish-pink cere). Domesticated birds come in many different color/shade patterns-green, yellow, & blue being most common. Food/Diet: Grasses, seeds, grains, fruit, berries, vegetation, vegetables, greens, pellets, worms, legumes, nuts Status in Wild: Stable Conservation: Breeding in aviculture, zoos, & wildlife centers. Most popular pet birds in world. Lifestyle: Flocks range from 10-10,000 birds. Breed colonially. Additional Info: Called: Male: Cock Female: Hen Young: Chick Group: Flock Weight: Adult: 1.4 oz Young: 0.42 oz Gestation: 2.5 weeks Life Span: 5 years in wild, 8-10 years in captivity Height: 7 in Body Length: 7 in Tail Length: 2.45 in Main predators are raptors, snakes, foxes, cats, pigs, rats, butcherbirds, corvids, & crocodilians. Often nicknamed “budgies.” Also known as shell parrot, warbling grass parakeet, canary parrot, zebra parrot, scallop parrot, & undulated parakeet. When happy/relaxed, they grind beaks. They’ve been bred in captivity since the 1850s. Develop feathers at 3 weeks old. Sexually mature at 3 months old. Chicks leave nest between 2 & 4 months of age. Have 3rd eyelid not easily visible but very important in keeping eyes lubricated/clear of debris. Fun Fact(s): Can remember sequences of sound & sometimes repeat them. Can move each eye independently & see out of each eye independently-monocular vision. They don’t have bladders & pass uric acid/poop through cloaca-same opening females lay eggs through & males release sperm. They can poop as often as 20 minutes. Can turn their heads up to 180 degrees. They’ll chew almost anything to trim their beaks. Disco the Parakeet YouTube channel features budgie named Disco & has over 21 million views. Some budgies have been known to say up to 100 words.
