Photo: Benjamint444 / GFDL 1.2 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Parrots

Budgerigar

Melopsittacus undulatus

Birb mood: the chatty pocket parrot

The pocket-sized Australian parakeet that became the world's favourite pet bird — chatty, charming and endlessly social.

Also known as: Budgie, Common Parakeet, Shell Parakeet

What's in a name? Melopsittacus blends Greek for "melodious parrot"; undulatus describes the wavy black barring across the wings and back.

Expert-reviewed by Dr. Priya Anand, ornithologist Vet-reviewed by Dr. Marco Reyes, avian veterinarian Last reviewed May 4, 2026

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 18 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australian Capital Territory Birds of New South Wales Birds of Northern Territory Birds of Queensland Birds of South Australia Birds of Tasmania Birds of Victoria Birds of Western Australia Birds of Alberta Birds of British Columbia

By family

Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of Australian Capital Territory Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of New South Wales Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of Northern Territory Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of Queensland Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of South Australia Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of Tasmania Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of Victoria Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of Western Australia

See what's near you right now

The Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) is a member of the Psittaculidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults measure 18 cm and weigh 30–40 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Psittaciformes
Family Psittaculidae Old World Parrots
Genus Melopsittacus
Species undulatus

Where it lives

Australia (except northern, eastern, southern, Tasmania)

Australia & Oceania

Quick facts

Size: 18 cm
Weight: 30–40 g
Wingspan: 30 cm
Lifespan: 5–8 years typical; 10+ with excellent care
Clutch size: 4–6 eggs
Diet: Seed-eaters
Family: Psittaculidae
Order: Psittaciformes
Habitat: Deserts & Scrub, Open Grassland

Is this a good pet bird?

Care difficulty: Beginner Noise level: Moderate Social needs: Flock-required

Great First Bird

Beginner

Legal & ethical ownership

Budgies are legal to keep almost everywhere and are captive-bred, not wild-caught. Never release a pet budgie outdoors — it cannot survive and may harm local ecosystems.

See pet care guides

How to identify

Main colours Green

Wild birds: green body, yellow face, black scalloping on the wings, and a throat spotted with black. The cere (the fleshy band above the beak) is a quick sex and maturity clue.

Male vs female

In most adults the cere is blue in males and brown or tan in breeding-condition females — though colour mutations can muddy this.

Juvenile appearance

Young budgies show barring all the way down to the cere ("baby bars") and have dark, beady eyes without the pale iris ring of adults.

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

In the wild, grass and grain seeds. In captivity, a balanced diet leans on formulated pellets plus fresh leafy greens and vegetables, with seed treated as a treat rather than a staple.

Behaviour

Intensely social and rarely silent — wild budgies live in constant vocal contact. They preen flock-mates, mimic sounds and words, and need daily interaction to stay happy.

Breeding

Cavity nesters that breed opportunistically when food and rain allow. In the wild this means boom-and-bust nesting tied to desert rains.

Migration

Nomadic rather than migratory: wild flocks roam vast distances chasing seeding grasses and water.

Population trend: Stable

The Budgerigar — “budgie” to almost everyone — is a small, long-tailed parakeet from the dry interior of Australia, where wild flocks ripple across the scrub in their thousands. Wild budgies are uniformly green and yellow with black scalloping; a century of captive breeding has added blues, whites, greys and more.Bright, bonded and famously talkative, budgies have earned their place as a brilliant first parrot — provided they get company, space to fly and a flock-mate or attentive human to chatter with. They are tiny, but their personalities are not.