Australian budgerigar parakeet (Melopsittacus undulates)
Range: Budgerigars are found in open habitats, primarily in scrublands, open woodlands, and grasslands of Australia. Budgerigars have an extensive natural range, they are found through most of Australia's interior west of the Great Dividing Range. They are not found in Tasmania, Cape York, or the coastal areas of eastern, northern or southwestern Australia. The birds are normally found in small flocks, but can form very large flocks under favorable conditions.
Description: Wild budgerigars average 7 inches long, weigh 1.1–1.4 ounces, 12 inch wingspan, and display a light green body color (abdomen and rumps), while their mantles (back and wing coverts) display pitch-black mantle markings (blackish in fledgelings and immatures) edged in clear yellow undulations. Bird experts prefer that budgies not be called parakeets, since parakeet is a common term for several small parrot-type birds with long tails. A budgie is a parakeet but a parakeet is not always a budgie. Budgies come in over a thousand color mutations. As the bird matures, the cere* color changes. * Young male budgies have a rose or bluish-purple cere. Around the nares there are white rings in female birds which can hardly be seen, the rest of the cere is colored whitish-blue.
Diet: Seeds are nutritionally imbalanced and high in fat, and parakeets that become accustomed to seeds are very hard to switch to a better diet later on. Offer your parakeet a wide variety of fresh foods early on: vegetables, leafy greens, fruits, pasta, rice, beans, sprouted seeds.
Lifespan: In captivity, budgerigars live an average of five to eight years, but life spans of 15–20 years have been reported. The life span depends on breed, lineage, and health, being highly influenced by exercise and diet.
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Make sure to swing by Parakeet Cove while visiting the Zoo for a fun encounter with our parakeets. These lovable and colorful birds fly freely in an enclosed aviary while guests walkabout enjoying time with them in their natural surroundings. For an additional adventure, purchase a $2 bird feed stick and make a new best friend or two. Parakeet Cove is located near the entry to the Skylift Adventure Ride in the Zoo’s Australian realm.