Budgerigar

The Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus), also known as common pet parakeet or shell parakeet and informally nicknamed the budgie, is a small, long-tailed, seed-eating parrot. Budgerigars are the only species in the Australian genus Melopsittacus, and are found wild throughout the drier parts of Australia where the species has survived harsh inland conditions for the last five million years. Budgerigars are naturally green and yellow with black, scalloped markings on the nape, back, and wings, but have been bred in captivity with colouring in blues, whites, yellows, greys, and even with small crests. Budgerigars are popular pets around the world due to their small size, low cost, and ability to mimic human speech. The origin of the budgerigar's name is unclear. The species was first recorded in 1805, and today is the third most popular pet in the world, after the domesticated dog and cat.

The budgerigar is closely related to the lories and the fig parrots. They are one of the parakeet species, a non-taxonomical term that refers to any of a number of small parrots with long, flat and tapered tails. In both captivity and the wild, budgerigars breed opportunistically and in pairs.

Wild budgerigars are usually found to be mostly green in colour. Selective breeding, by breeders, over the years has caused changes in colour. Cage bred budgerigars are also larger in size than wild budgerigars.

Desciption
Length is 7 - 8 in and weight is 30 g. Small, slender-bodied; bright green parrot.

Unmistakable; the only small long-tailed green parrot with boldly barred upperparts; sexes alike; juvenile resembles adults, but have brown irides, black barring on frons and cheeks.

Domestic cagebirds have many colours, including yellow, blue, lilac, white, grey or different greens.

Male has dark blue cere while the female has a light blue to brown cere. Both sexes have a yellow throat and forehead. Blue and black throat spots. Pale wingbar in flight.

Behaviour
Densely packed, fast-wheeling flocks. Nomadic.

Calls
Continuous 'chirrup'; 'zitting', alarm calls.

Distribution/habitat
Widespread and locally abundant in interior of Australia. Endemic to Australia. Found in small numbers along the Gulf Coast of the US. Habitat is arid and semi-arid woodlands, grasslands and farms.

Domestication
Budgerigars remain as popular pets and companions to humans ever since they were captured in captivity since the 1850s. As a result of breeders, domesticated Budgerigars have been bred to obtain more feather colours including blue, white, purple, and more.