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Budgerigar  

Also Known As: Shell Parakeet, Budgerygah
 
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Adult female Budgerigar

Credit: (c) Demark | License: ShutterStock
 
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Did You Know?
Budgerigars are highly nomadic, with local numbers fluctuating widely with climatic conditions.

Species Profile
Genus:
Melopsittacus

Species:
undulatus

Size: Adult Weight:
18-20 cm (7-7.8 in) 22-32g (0.8-1.1 oz)

Races including nominate:
one, with many colour mutations

Colourization Adult: Both adults yellow with scalloped upper parts, yellow face, lower cheeks tipped violet/blue, more so in the female; black spots under throat; green under parts, blue tail; blue cere in male, brown in female. Bill olive/horn in colour. Eye white.

Colourization Juvenile: Immatures duller; less spots on throat or none at all; yellow forehead barred black; tail shorter. Eye dark brown.

Call: Quiet warbling to sharp chattering, quiet screech.

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Recent Academic Research: Google Scholar - search results

 

Content Sources:

Article "Basic Budgerigar Breeding", Johan Theunissen, The Master Budgerigar Breeder
BirdLife International http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=1489&m=0

Internet Bird Collection http://www.hbw.com/ibc/

Naturesongs.com http://www.naturesongs.com/

Parrots: A Guide to Parrots of the World, Juniper and Parr, 1998.

Parrots of the World, Forshaw and Cooper, 1989.

Parrots of the World, Forshaw, 2006.

Parrots: Their Care and Breeding, Low, 1986.

Psittacine Aviculture, Schubot, Clubb and Clubb, 1992.