Parakeets and Budgies As pet

The budgie, or parakeet, is among the smallest of the parrot species commonly kept as pets. They are also the most popular pet bird by a large measure, due in part to the fact that they are quite affordable. These small parrots are exceedingly friendly and easy to tame.

The budgie, or budgerigar, is most commonly referred to as the more generic term “parakeet” in the United States.  The wild budgie is similar to the birds we see today in pet shops, though smaller (between 6 and 7 inches long), and only found in the nominate color, green. Its Latin name means, roughly, “song bird with wavy lines,” which is a pretty good description of this popular bird.

Are Budgerigars (Budgies) Part Of The Parakeet Family?

The most popular type of parakeet is the budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus), aka budgie, which currently ranks as the most popular pet parrot species in the world.

So all budgies are parakeets, but not all parakeets are budgies. Capiche?

Also known as the shell parakeet, this colorful small-sized parrot typically features a light green body with pitch-black mantle marking and yellow undulations. However, you can easily find budgies with blue and other color mutations these days as well. 

In the wild, the budgerigar lives exclusively in Australia, where it roams the wooded forests and coastal areas to forage on various seeds, nuts, fruits, and vegetables.