Today you can go into just about any pet store that sells birds and see a few budgies for sale. But where do these birds come from, and how should you care for them?
While you can find budgies in pet stores all over the world today, they all originally come from Australia, and they’re likely far different from the ones you see in the pet store. This is also why you don’t need to worry about accidentally purchasing a wild budgie from the store!
What Is a Budgie?
A budgie is a small parrot species that falls under the parakeet family. Not all parakeets are budgies though, and while the Australian budgie is by far the most common and popular type of budgie, it’s not the only type out there.
The other type is the English budgie. We’ve highlighted both budgie species for you here so you can learn a bit more about each one.
Australian Budgies/Budgeriger
The Australian budgie, also known as the budgerigar, is by far the most common budgie species in the world. These budgies are extremely intelligent and social birds. In the wild, they’ll form flocks of hundreds of birds that stick together.
The budgie is a hardy bird that can withstand drought and extreme heat well, although they’re always on the move. Because of this, if you’re looking at getting a pet Australian budgie, we highly recommend getting at least two of them and ensuring they have plenty of space to fly around.
Wild Australian budgies only come with a classic green and yellow color variation. Still, due to selective breeding and other factors, you can find pet budgies of all different colors in pet stores.
English Budgies
The English budgie originally came from Australia, but people brought them to England back in 1840. Since then, there’s been an extensive selective breeding program that has dramatically shifted the appearance of the English budgie.
The English budgie is larger than the Australian budgie, and they also have a far more laid-back temperament. The English budgie also comes in more color variations, and while they still have extensive care requirements, they’re easier to care for than an Australian budgie.
In short, an English budgie is a better pet than an Australian budgie, but the Australian budgie fares far better in the wild.
A Budgies Habitat
Budgies need warmer climates, and in the wild, an Australian budgie can live in open savannas, grasslands, open forests, grassy woodlands, and farmland. They live throughout Australia as long as there’s water nearby.
Because they fly so much, they can typically withstand some drought conditions, but they do need to drink water each day. Because of this, you won’t find them in the middle of the Australian desert, and they don’t live too much along the coastline since they can’t drink saltwater.
Other Fun Budgie Facts
Budgies are fun little birds, and the more you learn about them, the more you want to keep diving in! We understand, and it’s why we wanted to present you with some interesting and fun budgie facts right here:
Not All Parakeets Are Budgies
While all budgies are a type of parakeet, not all parakeets are a type of budgie. That’s because the budgie falls under the parakeet family, but there are plenty of different parakeet species that aren’t budgies.
It’s a common misconception, and many people will mistakenly think that every parakeet out there is a budgie even though that’s simply not the case.
There Are Two Types of Budgies
While the Australian budgie, also known as the budgerigar, is the most common budgie species out there, it’s not the only budgie species. The other budgie species is the English budgie, which is a larger and more “showy” budgie.
Budgies Talk Very Well
While many people think about cockatoos and other larger parrots as the most talkative, the budgie can give any of them a good run for their money. In fact, the budgie has a better vocabulary and vocal skills than both the macaw and the cockatoo.
Natural Budgies Are All Green and Yellow
When you go to the store, you’ll notice a wide array of color options for all the budgies there. But while there’s no shortage of budgie colors for you to pick from at the store, these are not natural budgie colors.
The only natural budgie colors are green and yellow, with green remaining prominent throughout most of their body.
Final Thoughts
The budgie is one of the most popular pet birds in the world for a reason, and because of their small size mixed with their big personalities, it’s not hard to see why. Just keep in mind that they’re social birds that do well in pairs, and they really need some space to spread their wings.
They might be one of the most popular, but they’re not always the easiest to care for, so do your research before you decide to bring one home.
Featured Image Credit: webandi, Pixabay
