Budgerigar

The budgerigar (*Melopsittacus undulatus*) is a small, long-tailed, seed-eating parrot. It is native to the dry regions of Australia. Many people know them as budgies or common parakeets. They are currently the third most popular pet in the world. This ranking follows only domesticated dogs and cats. People enjoy keeping them because they are small and can mimic human speech.

In the wild, budgerigars have survived harsh inland conditions for over five million years. Their success comes from a nomadic lifestyle. This means they move constantly to find resources. They live in open habitats like scrublands, grasslands, and open woodlands.

They primarily eat seeds from grasses, such as spinifex. Because seeds have very low water content, the birds must also find fresh water. When food and water are plentiful, budgerigars can form massive flocks. These groups can contain thousands of individual birds.

Wild budgerigars usually display a light green body color. They have black, scalloped markings on their wings and backs.

Their wings also show yellow flashes when they are outstretched or in flight. In captivity, humans have bred them to show many different colors. These include blue, white, grey, and violet. These colors come from primary mutations. There are at least 32 primary mutations known today. These can combine to create hundreds of different color varieties.

Budgerigars have a very special way of seeing the world. They possess tetrachromatic color vision. This means they can see four different classes of color. They can see into the ultraviolet spectrum. Their feathers actually fluoresce, or glow, under ultraviolet light. This helps them during courtship and mate selection. The throat spots of the birds also reflect ultraviolet light. This allows individual birds to recognize one another.

It can be difficult to tell male and female budgerigars apart when they are young. This is because juveniles are monomorphic, meaning they look the same. Adults are distinguished by their cere. The cere is the fleshy area around the nostrils. In males, the cere is typically lavender or light blue. In females, it is usually pale brownish or white. During breeding, a female's cere may turn a crusty brown color.

History shows how humans have studied these birds for a long time. George Shaw first recorded the species in 1805. Later, in 1840, John Gould gave them their official scientific name. The genus name *Melopsittacus* comes from Ancient Greek. It means "melodious parrot." The species name *undulatus* is Latin for "wave-patterned." This refers to the scalloped patterns on their feathers.

Budgerigars are social birds that often live in pairs. They show affection through mutual preening, which is cleaning each other's feathers. They also feed each other by regurgitating seeds. This behavior helps maintain their long-term pair-bonds. When they breed, they use holes in trees, logs, or fence posts for nests. A female typically lays between four and eight eggs. She incubates these eggs for 18 to 21 days.

The chicks usually fledge about 30 days after they hatch.

While budgerigars are successful, they face challenges. In the wild, they must deal with changing environments and food availability. In the past, a population of feral budgerigars lived near St. Petersburg, Florida. This population declined due to competition for nesting sites from other birds. They eventually died out in 2014. In captivity, breeders must watch for genetic health issues. These can include physical abnormalities or diseases passed between birds.