The budgerigar (also known as the parakeet or budgie) is possibly the most well known of all the birds in the parrot family because it is such a popular pet bird. It is popular as a pet because of its attractive coloring with a wide variety of different colors although in the wild it is usually green and yellow with black stripes. Other good traits it possesses for a pet bird, are that it doesn’t screech or call as loud as some other parrots do and it is a smaller, managable size. It is also a friendly and social bird.

Originally from Australia, the bird was introduced to the United States in Florida and lives in scrublands, woodlands or the open country. Its numbers vary due to conditions but it can become very populous when food is abundant and water available. Numbers have declined some in Florida due to competition from other species. They are very active during the early morning and late afternoon when they can form big flocks and go in search of food on the ground. Grass seeds are their favorite food.

Although you might not know it because you may have seen them only in cages, the birds are very swift and agile when flying.

So, how can you tell the difference between the sexes? By the color around their nostrils. Males have royal blue coloring around the nostrils while the females have white or light brown when not breeding and brown when breeding. Females can hatch their eggs any time of year and usually find a tree stump or log to make a nest and incubate 4 to 8 eggs.