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Meet the budgie
Budgerigars are small Australian parrots. One budgie, Puck, holds the record for the largest bird vocabulary: over 1,700 words.
🏡 Dry grasslands of inland Australia, in flocks of thousands.🍽️ Grass seeds, plus greens and vegetables in captivity.⏳ 7–15 years with good care.
Friends and family
Budgies preen each other and chatter constantly; a solitary budgie is a stressed budgie.
Pairs feed each other beak to beak as a bonding ritual.
How they talk
Flock chatter keeps everyone connected; budgies copy sounds to fit in.
How clever are they?
Budgies can learn words, count and solve simple puzzles.
What they feel
Budgies are 'contagious yawners' — a sign of social sensitivity.
Superpower: UV feathers
Budgies glow with ultraviolet patterns we can't see at all.
🤓 Did you know?
- One budgie learned over 1,700 words.
- Budgies see ultraviolet patterns on each other's feathers.
- Budgies yawn when they see another budgie yawn.
Living alongside people
Budgies are the world's third most popular companion animal after dogs and cats.