Difference Between Budgies & Parakeets

Many people think budgerigars, or budgies, are synonymous with the parakeet. There is a relationship between the two birds, but the terms are not interchangeable. "Parakeet" refers to any bird in the vast parakeet family, while "budgerigar" is a certain type of parakeet. However, the definition of a budgerigar varies whether you're in the United States or England.

  1. Parakeets

    • Parakeet is the term for a vast group of related bird species that originated in Asia, South America, Africa and Australia. They are small, colorful parrots with long tails. There are several different families of parakeet, including the Ringneck parakeet, the Quaker parakeet, the Alexandrine parakeet, the Regent parakeet and others, according to the Animal World website. The budgerigar is just one of the many parakeet families.

    Budgerigars In The United States

    • In the United States, bird enthusiasts use the word budgerigar to refer to a specific species of parakeet, or small parrot. This species originated in Australia, and the word "budgerigar" means "good food" in aboriginal language. The first captive budgies were brought to England in 1840, according to the book "Parakeets" by Annette Wolter. Budgerigars can come in several different colors, but the most common pattern is a green body with a yellow head.

    Budgerigars In The U.K. and Australia

    • In the United Kingdom and in Australia, the word "budgerigar" refers to any and all varieties of parakeet. Though many species of parakeet originated outside the Australian subcontinent, British and Australian experts do not distinguish in vocabulary between the Australian budgerigar and other types of parakeet. The first reference in British academia to the budgerigar was by naturalist John Gould in 1865; he gave the budgerigar its scientific name, Melopsittacus undulatus.

    Caring For A Budgerigar Or Parakeet

    • Budgerigars and parakeets are sociable, friendly pets. If you want a pet budgie, make sure you have plenty of time to spend with it, as these birds are very intelligent and need a lot of mental stimulation. If you have a busy schedule, get two or more birds. Feed the birds a healthy diet of seeds, fruits and vegetables, and bird pellets. Give them toys to play with and plenty of fresh water, and spend time talking to them. If you're lucky, your budgie or parakeet will learn to repeat certain phrases.