Budgerigar
(Melopsittacus undulatus)

Family: Psittacidae. Budgerigars are members of the sub-family Psittacinae, and only member of genus Melopsittacus.

Range: throughout mainland Australia

Habitat: various types of open country near water, such as savanna, lightly wooded forests, dry scrub, open plains, forest, farmland

Size: about 7.4 inches (18.8 cm) in length and weighs about 1 ounce (29 g)

Description: M. undulatus is a small parrot with a longish, pointed tail. Males are very difficult to distinguish from females, except for the color of the cere (bare skin around nostrils): the male is blue, while the female is brown. The remainder of coloring for both sexes is quite similar. Their face and forehead are yellow with blue cheek patches. Budgerigars have a yellow throat with black spots. Their underparts and rump are bright green. Contrasting this is a barred black and yellow back, nape and wings. The tail of budgerigars is greenish-blue, while the legs are grayish-blue.


Life Span: averages 6 - 10 years, with exceptions of up to 15 years

Diet: eats mainly grass seeds from the ground or stalks

Status: abundant; not threatened

Fascinating Facts

  • Species name undulatus comes from its swift, erratic flight!
  • Other names include: betcherrygah (meaning “good food”), shell parrot, warbling grass parakeet, zebra parrot, canary parrot, and lovebird. They are commonly known as “budgies!”
  • Huge flocks of budgerigars may number in the thousands and darken the sky. An entire flock may rest in a eucalyptus tree, and the combined weight has broken branches!

* Woodland Park Zoo identifies an animal or plant endangered if it is listed as endangered (in any part of its range) on the federal list of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants, or if it is listed on Appendix I to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).