The budgie bird, though a little creature, is easily one of the most popular pet birds in the entire world ranking just behind cats and dogs.
This cute and friendly bird is not only small but very inexpensive and if well trained, this bird can mimic human speech sounds.
The origin of this bird’s formal name “Budgerigar” remains a mystery but no matter what name you choose to call it, this bird makes a beautiful companion for both first-time pet owners and others.
Though budgies are affectionate birds, they are not all fun and games, so it is imperative that you know the basics about them before you go ahead to take one home with you.
1. All budgies are parakeets, but not all parakeets are buddies
Some people would rather cash budgies parakeets or call them by their full name Budgerigars. While none of both names is wrong, they are not precisely correct entirely. Parakeets are of various kinds, and these birds differ in size, colors, and shapes.
Some parakeets grow to become very large ( like the Indian ringneck parakeet that grows as big as 16 inches when measured from beak to tail) while others are really tiny, like the buggies.
Because of the vast difference in the size of the different birds in the parakeet family, it has become more accurate to call them by their actual names.
2. Budgies are one of the smallest species of parrot
Budgies are not the smallest birds in the parrot family ( the parrotlet has long claimed that spot ), but they still are quite tiny in size.
Most pet budgies grow as big as 7 and 8 inches when measured from the tip of their beak to the end of their tail. Budgies in the wild do not grow up to 7 inches.
3. There are two different types of budgies
Only a few people are aware that there are two distinct types of budgies; the English budgie which is larger and bred in England specifically for the pet trade and for shows, and the traditional Budgerigar which is a native of Australia.
Though both birds are budgies, they have apparent differences when you view them side by side.
The English budgie bird is usually about an inch or two inches longer than the traditional Budgerigar budgie, and they also have puffier feathers around their face and crown with naturally larger heads.
4. Budgies are capable of learning to talk better than some bigger parrots
There is no natural or scientific way to guarantee that a budgie or any other kind of parrot for that matter will learn to speak.
However, budgies have a knack for learning words fast, and they are also capable of talking more clearly than other bigger parrots such as cockatoos and macaws.
The most exciting part of their taking ability is that they can build a broader vocabulary than other parrots.
Budgies have small and gravely sounding voices, yet their ability to pick up human words and phrases is incredible, and they can use them in a normal context in some cases which is very interesting for a bird that small.
So for people who are new to having a pet bird and would love to converse with their pet, a budgie is the perfect feathered friend.
5. Budgies have only one natural colour and that’s green
It is very common to see budgies of different colors in pet shops and people are getting used to these different colors of budgies so much so that they do not know green is the only natural color for this bird. In the wild, budgies are either yellow or green but mostly green.
This means that when you see a blue budgie, a white budgie, or budgies of any other color apart from green, the bird is of a color mutation breed designed explicitly for the pet trade.
These budgies that are every other color but green areas are totally healthy but never expect to see anything like them in the wild.
6. A budgie’s diet needs to contain more than just seeds
Because of their small size, budgies are easy to cater to and relatively inexpensive to feed.
However, contrary to what a lot of people believe, small birds like the budgie should not be fed with a diet that consists of just seeds as that can cause health problems.
Feeding your budgie with a diet that includes fresh fruits and vegetables supplemented with pellets is just perfect.
It’s however good to include some seeds in your bird’s diet as long as the fruits and leafy greens are available to help keep it healthy by providing much-needed nutrients.
