What’s The Difference Between A Budgie And Parakeet?
Birds are some of the most entertaining and smart pets you can have. Some birds look very different from each other, but many look very much the same. Birds like parakeets and budgies look the same, whether you know them by both names or just one.
It can be hard to tell if they are the same bird with two different names or if they are two very similar types of birds.
If you want a bird friend or are just curious, this article will settle the debate and tell you if the two birds are the same.
Here’s what makes a budgie different from a parakeet:
Are Budgies and Parakeets the Same?
Budgies and parakeets are two different kinds of birds. Budgie is the short form of the word “budgerigar,” which is a type of parakeet. Budgies are just a type of parakeet, just like how parakeets are just a type of parrot.
Even though a budgie is just one kind of bird, parakeets are sometimes thought to be budgies.
At a Glance
Budgie
- Average height (adult): 5-7 inches
- Average weight (adult): 30-40 grams
- Lifespan: 5-10 years
- Exercise: 20-30 minute a day
- Grooming needs: Low
- Family-friendly: Yes
- Other pet-friendly: Often
- Trainability: Highly intelligent and easy to train
Parakeet
- Average height (adult): 5-18 inches
- Average weight (adult): 30-50 grams
- Lifespan: 10-20 years
- Exercise: 20-40 minutes per day
- Grooming needs: Low to moderate
- Family-friendly: Yes
- Other pet-friendly: Mostly
- Trainability: Intelligent, affectionate, and a breeze to train
Budgie Overview
Budgies are often called “starter birds” by bird lovers because they are small, require little care, and are smart.
This makes them easier to take care of than most other parrot species. They are beautiful birds with long tails that live in small groups in the wild.
Because of this, they should always be kept in pairs when kept as pets. Aviaries are great for Budgies, but cages that are big enough and have everything they need will do.
Personality / Character
Budgies are lively, curious, and active animals that make great friends. Even though they are small, they have a lot of energy and personality. It’s amazing how much personality they have in such a small body.
While each Budgie is an individual, all Budgie owners will agree on one thing: they are very interested in everything that is happening around them.
Training
Budgies are very smart birds that are easy to train and show a lot of affection when they are young and handled often. Budgies do not need much human contact, so they make great “observation only” pets.
They can be kept in pairs or as a colony in a large cage or aviary. Still, a Budgie is usually easy to train, and contrary to popular belief, they have a large vocabulary that is on par with that of some of the largest and best-known parrot species.
Most of the time, men are better than women at imitating speech, but women aren’t too far behind.
Health & Care
Even though Budgies are small and easy to take care of, they still need as much love and attention as any other pet bird to live a happy and healthy life.
They’ll need a big, roomy cage with toys, perches, and a bath so they can fly around. Budgies love to splash in water to clean themselves. They are also social animals that need to be kept in groups of at least two.
Suitability
Budgies are good pets for people who are just starting out with birds because they are small and easy to care for.
If you’ve never had a bird as a pet before but would like to, a Budgie is a great choice. But because they can live for ten years or more, they are a big responsibility that shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Parakeet Overview
Larger parrot species have square-shaped tails and stockier bodies, while parakeets are small to medium-sized birds with long, tapering tails that set them apart.
Parakeets live in the wild almost everywhere in the world, but Australia has the most species, with over 30 different kinds of some of the most colourful birds.
Even though there are many different kinds of parakeets all over the world, they all have some things in common, like a long tail that tapers at the end, bright colours, and a beak with many different parts. All of them are lively, social, and hardworking by nature.
Personality / Character
Even though they are small, parakeets have a lot of personality and all the charm and charisma of larger parrots. They are very social and active little birds that do well in captivity if they have a big enough cage and are trained when they are young.
Even if they are raised with other birds, which is recommended because they are friendly, they get along well with their owners and enjoy human contact.
Training
Parakeets are smart, talkative birds that are easy to train. Some birds have been said to know more than 1,500 words and have an amazing ability to imitate speech.
Even though it may take a while for your parakeet to get used to its new home, they are usually tame within two weeks and learn tricks and words quickly. If you have more than one parakeet, it will go faster if you teach each one on its own.
Health & Care
Even though parakeets are smaller birds that don’t need as much care as larger parrot species, they still need a lot of care, a clean and safe cage or aviary, and a healthy, varied diet of seeds and high-quality parrot pellets with some fruit treats every now and then.
Suitability
Parakeets are great for people who have never had a pet bird before, even though they are bigger and need more care than Budgies. Still, they are easy to train and very loving, which makes them great pets for families with kids or as companions for older people.
Parakeets live longer than Budgies. Because of this, they are a big responsibility and can live up to 20 years in a home.
Why Are Parakeets Called Budgies?
People often mix up budgies and parakeets and treat them as the same bird. This is due to the fact that budgies are the most common type of parrot and the birds that the majority of us keep as pets.
Budgies are often kept as pets because they are friendly, active, and outgoing. Many people think they are the same because the only parakeets they have ever seen in person are budgies.
If you go to a pet store looking for a parakeet, you will almost certainly only find budgies.
English Budgies vs. Parakeets
The difference between English budgies and Australian ones is that English ones are bigger and easier to train.
In the 1840s, John Gould, a bird lover, brought the typical Australian budgie, which is called a parakeet in the U.S. By the end of the century, budgies had become the most popular pet bird in England, and people began breeding them for show.
English budgies are much easier to train than Australian budgies because they are made to sit still and not talk for long periods of time. They talk less, but like their little brother or sister, they may learn a lot of words.
The English budgie is the same colour as a regular budgie, but its feathers are fluffier, especially on the top of its head.
Lineolated Parakeets vs. Budgies
Lineolate parakeets are a type of parakeet that lives in South America. They are also called barred parakeets or linnies.
The main differences between barred parakeets and budgies are that barred parakeets have stripes and budgies don’t.
The average length of a barred budgie in the wild is 7 inches (in captivity).
| Parakeet | Budgie | Barred Parakeet |
| Average Length | 7 inches (in the wild)/5-11 (in captivity) | 6.5 inches |
| Average Weight | 1.1-1.4 oz | 1.4-1.8 oz |
| Lifespan | 5-10 years | 10 years |
| Cost | $10-$35 dollars | $200-$300 dollars |
| Availability | High/can be found in most pet stores | Low/can be found in rescues, adoption agencies, or through breeders |
Appearance
Their name comes from the fact that they look like they have stripes. Wild barred parakeets are green all over except for the tops of their heads.
They have black or dark green stripes running down their bodies. Budgies, on the other hand, are green and yellow and don’t have stripes.
Even though they are naturally a dark green colour, they have been bred to be:
- Gold
- Blue
- Violet
- Brown
- Gray
- Yellow
Most budgies are coloured like this:
- White
- Blue
- Yellow
- Green
- Gray
Barred parakeets have fluffy, unkempt plumage. Budgies, on the other hand, have feathers that are matted closer to their bodies, giving them a slimmer look.
Temperament
Barred parakeets are calmer than budgies, and they like to walk and climb. Budgies, on the other hand, want to fly. Budgies are also much dirtier and more rude, especially when they are teenagers.
Even so, a barred parakeet’s behaviour is still affected by its own personality and how it is trained. Because of this, you may still get a grumpy little one.
Vocalization
The louder of the two species is the budgie, followed by the barred parakeet.
Barred parakeets can learn to talk and make noises, but they are shy birds that prefer to chirp quietly. Their noise level is much lower than that of a budgie, which makes them perfect for bird lovers who want a less noisy parakeet.
Budgies and parakeets aren’t always the same because they speak different languages, belong to different species, and look different. They may be in the same family, but that doesn’t always mean they are the same species.
Even though the phrases can be used interchangeably, they may not always refer to the same bird.
Do Budgies Talk?
Budgies do talk to each other. They are one of the most popular pet birds because of this. Budgies are very smart and know dozens or even hundreds of words.
Budgies will almost always make a lot of noise when they talk, even if they don’t always talk well or in full sentences. It’s funny, but it’s also a great way to talk to your pet to see if they’re hungry or if something is wrong.
Budgies can not only talk, but they can also learn from us and communicate with us once they do. It’s not just about how birds learn human language; it’s also about how well they understand and use it.
Can Budgies Be Taught How To Speak?
Yes. Budgies can learn words by hearing them over and over again. They can only talk to us because they use the same words we do. Budgies can tell you what they want by putting together a word or phrase and an action.
It’s like how a cat or dog knows when it’s time to eat. You say the phrase that lets them know that there’s no food in their bowl, and they start to associate that sound with having food in their bowl.
The biggest difference is that budgies can talk back to you to show that they understand what you say.
Budgies can learn words in English, Spanish, French, and other languages. After all, kids don’t know how to talk until they are taught.
Budgies can talk and use words as well as some of the larger parrot species. These birds’ calls are much more complicated than those of other species, and learning more about how they talk could help us learn more about how we use language.
Do All Parakeets Talk?
Not only can all parakeets and parrots speak human languages; they are all born with the ability to do so.
The reason all parakeets and parrots can’t talk is that not all of them spend enough time with people to learn.
Some of these birds would never talk if there were no one to teach them or listen to them. So, if you get a bird as a pet, it might not say anything for a few months until it gets used to the way you talk.
Can a Parakeet Mate With a Budgie?
Budgies and parakeets can’t have babies together because not all parakeets are budgies.
Budgies can only mate with other budgies and have babies with them. They can’t mate with any other kind of parakeet.
This is because, even though budgies are a type of parakeet, they are also their own type. Budgies are their own kind of parakeet, but some other kinds of parakeets are related to them.
Budgies are unique, and the only thing they have in common with other parakeets is that they are both birds. Because they don’t share DNA, mating or breeding budgies with other parakeets can be dangerous for both birds. It could cause the bird to get sick.
Is a Parakeet a Good Pet?
This is a personal question, but parakeets make great pets for people of all ages because they are happy, lively, smart, and entertaining in general. They can talk to you and don’t need much care.
Whether or not you think parakeets are good pets depends on what you think makes a good pet.
Parakeets not only make us laugh or say what they are thinking out loud, but they also get along well with their owners and other parakeets.
Since they can get lonely, they work best in groups. Even though it seems like these pets just talk to talk, they are actually very social animals.
Conclusion
Budgies and parakeets are both small birds, but they are not the same. Budgies are the most common type of parakeet that people keep as pets. They are also the most unique type of parakeet because they have their own genus.
Even though a budgie isn’t always a parakeet and a parakeet isn’t always a budgie, they are both great friends who make us laugh with their antics and the words they learn from us.
Budgies, other parakeets, and some parrots are all great choices for a friendly and fun pet.
I have been working in animal shelter for the past six years and I have been raising the puppies of different breeds. I have had experience in training the puppies in obedience, agility, and other dog sports.
My main objective is to train the puppies to become good family pets. They should be well-behaved and trained to be loving, loyal, and obedient.
Contact me:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (912) 634-3631
Address: 102 Village Way Crk Saint Simons Island, Georgia(GA), 31522
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