Budgerigar
The budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) is a small, green and yellow parrot of the arid interior of Australia. In captivity it comes in many colors, and it is one of the most popular pet birds.
The budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) is a small, green and yellow parrot of the arid interior of Australia. In captivity it comes in many colors, and it is one of the most popular pet birds.
🧬 Field Guide Specimen: Open Budgerigar in the CRV Science Field Guide to log the specimen, see its place among the Reptilia lineages in the Cladogram Explorer, and test your recall in the Red List conservation game.
Nomads of the Outback
Wild budgerigars travel in flocks of thousands, following rainfall and the seeds of grasses. They can breed quickly after rain, laying several eggs in tree hollows, and survive on little water.
Color Mutations and Speech
Wild birds are green, but breeding has produced blue, yellow, white and many other color forms. Budgies can learn to mimic human speech, and individuals have learned hundreds of words. The genome was sequenced in 2011.
A Parrot Laboratory
The species is used in studies of vocal learning, hearing and flock behavior. See Zebra Finch.
Budgerigar at a Glance
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Melopsittacus undulatus |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Psittaciformes |
| Family | Psittaculidae |
| Field Guide group | Reptilia: Aves (Birds) |
| Diagnostic feature (Field Guide) | Small green-and-yellow Australian flocking bird with wavy black barring and a colored cere above its hooked beak. |
| IUCN Red List status | Least Concern (LC), assessed 2018 |
| Family | Psittaculidae |
| Wild color | Green with black barring |
See Also
- Zebra Finch — another Australian lab bird
- Grey Parrot — a larger talking parrot