by Darla Dandre

What can we say about the beloved Budgie. For most of us, this little bird was our introduction to Aviculture and our first pet. The Budgie has held the honor of being the world's most popular cage bird for over 200 years. They are not demanding as pets, adapt well to almost any situation, and breed very freely and frequently. They also mimic human speech and can be taught to talk just as well as any expensive parrot!!! They come in many colors and can be purchased at just about any pet store for $7.50 to $25.00 each.

Where did the Budgie come from?

The Budgerigar lives in the Australian interior, away from the coastal areas and rain forests. In the wild, they live a nomadic lifestyle in flocks of thousands of birds. They forage on the ground for grass seeds and small insects and nest in holes in the trees usually just after the rainy season is over. The color of the wild budgie (the green and yellow) helps camouflage it in the grasses while it is feeding on the ground. The green and yellow or "bush" budgerigar is the only color of this species that occurs in the wild. Other color mutations would not be able to hide from other predators in the grasses and therefore would not survive.

What about the other colors of Budgies seen in pet stores?

Because of captive and selective breeding, over 1000 color combinations exist today. There are no predators for a cage bird (with the exception of the naughty house cat or very curious pooch) so birds born showing other colors have the same chance of survival as the green and yellow does. With the discovery of genetics made in 1900 by Gregor Mendel, an Austrian biologist, the Budgie had mutated into a huge range of colors that have never been seen before. So as a cage bird, the Budgie can be found in any color that pleases you but, in the wild, they are only green and yellow!

Does size matter?

Through selective breeding, the competition Budgerigar is a bird that stands 9 inches and has a huge head as compared to the "dime store parakeet". These birds are usually the ones that you see at a bird show. They are a bit more expensive too, running from $60.00 to $120.00 per bird. Impressive as they are, they are still Budgies. The common budgerigar is 7 inches and they all come in any color you want! If you plan to show, than an "English Budgerigar" is for you. If you are just looking for a great little companion bird, the "parakeet" will do just fine.

How do I get my Budgie to become tame?

The best way to teach your budgie to do tricks or to talk is to obtain them as soon as they are weaned. Training sessions should take place in a room that does not have other birds in it so that your pupil will not be distracted. Sessions should last for about 15 minutes at a time 3 to 4 times per day with a good rest period in between. Clip your Budgies wings to make training easier for both you and your bird and always conduct training sessions on the floor. Never scold or punish your budgie; if your bird is not responding to your lesson, simply put him back in his cage and try again later. Never try to force your bird into doing anything he does not want to do. Try to pick tricks that come to the bird naturally. Patience and repetitiveness are the keys to training your bird.

What about breeding my birds?

Budgerigars are extremely easy to set up to breed. The biggest problem is what to do with all the baby Budgies! Make sure you have plans for the offspring before you set up to breed. Budgies become sexually mature at 6 months of age, but birds should wait until they are at least a year old before they are set up for breeding. Males can be identified by their blue colored cere and females will have a brownish cere. Budgerigars are cavity nesters and require a nest box in which to lay their eggs. The nest box should hang on the outside of the cage so that you can check it without disturbing the birds. No nest is built and very little nesting material inside the box is needed. Two weeks after the eggs are laid, they start to hatch, and 3 to 4 weeks after that, they are out of the nest box and practically on their own! It is not necessary to hand feed a budgie in order to make it tame, but if you choose to do so, follow all instructions on hand feeding very carefully. Budgies, unlike any other parrot, feed their offspring on their backs!

The Budgerigar may be the world's smallest parakeet, but it has as much charm as the Macaw, personality as the Amazon, talent as the African Grey, and affection as the Cockatoo. Whereas the bigger birds cost as much as a few house payments to purchase and set up, the Budgerigar can be obtained by a child who saves his or her allowance for only a few weeks. Budgies tend to be "throw away" pets, but the well-cared for and trained Budgies are highly admired by everyone. This is the bird that unwittingly introduces people to the science of Aviculture even though it's just a "wee gem."