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Birdman Mel's Backyard Tips
Overview
Budgerigar: Small parakeet, mostly green in its wild form and may have varying amounts blue, white, or yellow in feral U.S. populations. Has a characteristic pug face, and most have finely barred upperparts. Feeds primarily on grass seeds. Birds in a flock fly in a charecteristic undulating manner.
Range and Habitat
Budgerigar: Widespread in the dry interior of Australia, but populations of escaped cage birds now established at many sites around the world including parts of Florida. Preferred habitats include grasslands, open dry woodlands, farmlands, and roadsides.
Topo Map:
Perching-like Body
Listen to Call
Voice Text
"chirrup"
Interesting Facts
They are well adapted to their desert habitat and can survive for a month without drinking. When drought is particularly severe and they are unable to locate areas of recent rain they refrain from breeding, as the chicks would not survive.
A compound of budgery, "good" and gar "Cockatoo". Budgerigar means "good eating" or "good food" in some Australian Aboriginal languages.
Their plumage is known to fluoresce under ultraviolet light, a phenomenon possibly related to courtship and mate selection.
A group of budgerigars is collectively known as a "chatter" and a "flock" of budgerigars.
Bird Term Glossary
Author
Gary Owen Dick
Artist
Dwight Kirkland
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