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BudgerigarAlternative names: "Shell Parrot", "Warbling Grass-parrot", "Canary Parrot", "Zebra Parrot", "Love-bird" Aboriginal names: "budgerigah", "betcherrygah", "gidjirrigaa" [gamilaraay, yuwaalaraay] Size: 17-20 cm |
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Habitat |
(for details refer to a field guide) |
Buderigars are well-adapted to life in a semi-arid environment and are rarely found on the coast (only near Adelaide, SA, and along the north-west tip of WA). Otherwise they are found over most of the semi-arid interior, after substantial rainfall even in the most arid parts. They are most commonly found in inland NSW and QLD (well outside the Great Dividing Range), inland SA and NT (except the great salt pans of Lake Eyre and Lake Frome, where they venture only after significant rainfall). Also in western WA and the Kimberleys they are usually found only in favourable conditions. They are not found in the top end of the NT and Cape York, or along the east coast and most of the south coast of Australia (including Tasmania).
Budgerigars are usually found in open grassland or lightly wooded scrub with grassy patches or undergrowth. They can also be found around crops, in particular sorghum.
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Sightings |
Although probably the most commonly known species of parrots in the western world, Budgerigars are so elusive - at least in the Narrabri region - that we have sighted them 20 km south of town only once in 4 years, in 2004.
It took a trip to western NSW (westward of Burren Junction) to obtain first photos out in the wild. In the dry floodplains of the Darling River west of about Walgett, NSW, Budgerigars were abundant in March 2008.
In May 2009 a small flock was seen twice, in passing, 20 km east of Narrabri.
In years of abundant inland rainfall, such as 2010, swarms of up to thousands of Budgerigars can be observed in the outback.
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Photos |
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Twitcher's tip |
Only males have a blue cere; the ceres of female birds are the colour of skin.
Lateral view of a male Budgerigar; note the blue-grey cere
View of the back of a female Budgerigar
Cooling is a part of life in outback NSW in summer...
... as is preening
Bred varieties
Sometimes escapes can be seen out in nature. The budgerigar shown below was found to hang out with a flock of House Sparrows.
Frontal view of an escape; the colour of its plumage is a bit
lighter than that of its wild cousins
There is something to nibble, too
The same bird as above, now in a tree...
...and here seen preening
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Behaviour |
| Social behaviour: Communal | Mobility: Dispersive | Elementary unit: Flock |
Budgerigars are highly sociable and gregarious birds that will (especially after a successful breeding season) form flocks of many thousands.
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Food |
Like many parrots, Budgerigars are seed-eaters; primarily they take grass seeds.
