Details
Melopsittacus undulatus
The budgerigar is a small parrot of Australia's dry interior. Diurnal and highly social, it travels in flocks between grasslands and water.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It uses arid grassland, scrub, and open woodland, shifting toward seed-rich areas after rain. Access to water strongly shapes its movements.
Wingspan is about 25-30 cm and weight about 25-40 g. It has a slim body, long tail, green-and-yellow plumage, and fine barring over the head and back.
Active by day, flocks take off together and wheel rapidly in flight. Feeding and drinking are closely synchronized within the group.
It is herbivorous, feeding mainly on grass seeds. Birds forage on the ground and range widely as seed crops appear and fade.
Breeding often follows favorable rains, with nests placed in tree hollows. Chicks are fed regurgitated food by the parents.
Its status is listed as Least Concern. In the wild it is a mobile desert-edge bird closely tied to rainfall and grass seeding.
