That Bird Blog – Bird Care and History for Pet Birds

I’m often questioned on the pros and cons of keeping Budgerigars (parakeets) and other parrots singly as opposed to in pairs or groups.  Most folks are aware that parrots housed alone tend to form strong bonds to their owners, more so than birds that have others of their own kind to interact with.  While this may be true to some extent, there are other considerations.  A recent question from a bird owner who planned to give away one of her budgies, in order to make a “better pet” of the other, has prompted me to post some thoughts here.

Social Life in the Wild

Parrots, including budgies, almost always fare best when kept in pairs or appropriate groups.  Those I have observed in the wild (and this is echoed by all careful parrot-watchers) are in almost constant contact with their mates and flock members.  Even in large flocks, and during flight, it is usually quite a simple matter to spot paired birds…they remain, literally, within touching distance of one another.

Solitary Pets

A great many of the problems experienced by pet parrots are related to their being kept alone.  The agitated “dances”, displays and attacks on toys exhibited by solitary birds, and which are found amusing by those unfamiliar with parrot biology, are actually born of frustrated urges to mate and defend a territory.  Several parrot interest groups have now published position statements to the effect that housing a parrot alone is, in most cases, considered by the group to be animal abuse.

Filling in for a Missing Mate

I advised the afore-mentioned budgie owner that while the bird may indeed form a strong bond with her if kept alone.  However there would be no way to predict such, as her pet had already been housed with another bird (this will affect its reaction to being kept alone).

But above all, the most important consideration to bear in mind is that spending a few hours each day with a budgie would not be adequate; parrots kept alone need the near constant companionship of a person if that person is to be considered a “substitute” for the missing mate.  This is difficult to arrange for most people.

Further Reading

Parrots that bond with people may make wonderful pets but sometimes raise a host of unexpected problems.  For more information, please see another article I have written, Parrot Bonding: Positive and Negative Aspects.

Recently, a bird owner confided to me that, although pets were prohibited in her tiny Manhattan apartment, she was able to keep an English budgerigar because it was very quiet and also a good deal less active than the American budgies which she had kept.  Thinking back, I realized that English budgerigars, which are actually the same species –  Melopsittacus undulatus – as the “parakeet” typically sold in American pet stores, have also impressed me as being somewhat reserved in nature.  Perhaps they are ideal for those of you who need to keep birds surreptitiously?

Appearance and Exhibition Standards

English Budgerigars, or budgies, are sometimes referred to as “show or exhibition budgerigars”.  They are stouter than the “American Budgerigar”, which is also known by the common name of “parakeet”.  Both are larger than wild budgerigars – twice as large in the case of the English race.

English Budgerigars have long been bred as show birds, with strict standards governing their colors, plumage type, and body plan.  Their faces and breasts are more thickly feathered than the typical American Budgie…some individuals sport feathers that nearly obscure the eyes and beak.  The actual size of the head, in relation to the body, is also greater than in the American race.

Over thirty primary, and hundreds of secondary, color mutations are recognized, with individual colors often being brighter and somehow more clearly defined than those of their American counterparts.

Personality and Vocabulary

Behavior varies greatly from bird to bird, but overall English budgies are quite calm in nature, with even parent-raised individuals being relatively easy to tame.

Many, but not all, are also on the quiet side, but they retain wonderful mimicry abilities.  Like American Budgies, English birds can amass huge vocabularies, a skill that is sometimes not fully appreciated due to their low, subdued voices.  However, aviculturists rank budgerigars alongside African Grays, Amazons, Eclectus Parrots and other gifted mimics.  In fact, a budgerigar holds the record for the largest bird vocabulary known – over 1,700 words!

Keeping English Budgies

In common with all parrots, English Budgies do best in pairs or well-planned groups.  All-male groups, or several pairs, often work out well, but females can be quite vicious towards one another.  English Budgerigars have the reputation of being somewhat short lived – 7 to 10 years as opposed to the American Budgerigar’s lifespan of 12 to nearly 20 years – but there have been notable exceptions.

English Budgerigars are not all that common in the USA, and will more usually be available through private breeders as opposed to pet stores.  However, the search is well worthwhile – their plumage imparts a very comical look to the face (some find them to resemble minute old men!), and, if noise and space is a concern, they may well be the best parrot option available.

Further Reading

Please see my article The Captive Care and Natural History of Budgerigars  for further information.

The Great Lakes Budgie Society posts English Budgie show standards and results here.

Budgerigar Head Detail image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by Kirk

Note: Please see Natural History of the Budgerigar for information on budgerigars in the wild.

Introduction
From its introduction to European aviculture by eminent British ornithologist John Gould in 1840, the budgerigar has grown to be the world’s most commonly kept pet bird.  Perhaps due to their tiny size, budgerigars are often underestimated as pets.  However, they are as playful and intelligent as any of the larger parrots, and often develop impressive vocabularies. 

The budgerigar’s sociability and calm acceptance of crowded, noisy surroundings renders it an ideal pet for people who do not have the space that larger birds require – believe me, you will not be missing anything offered by parrot ownership if you choose to keep this delightful little fellow.

Enclosure and Physical Environment
As with all birds, you should give your budgerigar the largest cage possible – just be certain that the bars are no more than ½ inch apart, lest the bird escape, or get caught up in the attempt.  Assuming that your pet is given frequent exercise periods outside of its cage, the minimum cage size for a single bird would be 12”x18”x18”.

Budgerigars are extremely active, even by parrot standards.  Fortunately, they adjust well to people and most soon tame down enough to be let out of their cage for daily exercise.

The cage should be furnished with a variety of perches of different sizes and materials and a wide selection of toys.  Rotating toys in and out of the cage from time to time will increase your bird’s interest in them.  Even more than many of their relatives, budgerigars enjoy gnawing away at all sorts of materials, so be sure to keep them well supplied with suitable chew toys.

In the warmer months, budgerigars housed in an outdoor aviary will keep you amused for hours on end with their antics.

Light and Heat
Budgerigars are birds of open, sunlit environments, and will benefit greatly from exposure to unfiltered sunlight.  If possible to do so safely, occasionally place your pet’s cage (locked and out of reach of predators) outdoors in nice weather.  Be sure the bird can get into the shade when necessary.

When indoors, your budgerigar’s cage should be lit with a full spectrum bird bulb – UVA light in particular has been shown to be of great benefit in stimulating natural behaviors and maintaining good health.

Normal room temperatures suit these hardy birds just fine, but do not position the cage in a draft.

Check back Monday for the conclusion of Captive Care of the Budgerigar.