Do Parakeets Sleep on the Ground in the Wild?

It's easy to forget that your domesticated parakeet would be living a very different life if she were in the wild. No climate-controlled environment courtesy of the central heating and air, no catered meals, and she'd sleep and nest wherever her instincts told her to. For some wild parrots, that means sleeping on the ground.

  1. Some Do

    • Some of the 350 or so parakeet species do build their homes on the ground. They're known as ground parakeets. According to a paper by Amy K. Taylor and colleagues of the University of Florida, the ground parakeets are a handful of Australian species who prefer the ground over other options when it's time to build a nest. These grounded little birds look for spots underneath bushes to make their homes.

    Some Don't

    • Although some species of parakeet do prefer ground-level accommodations, other species favor high-rise alternatives. Some build traditional nests out of sticks and twigs on tree branches, and others nest in hollows they find in trees or rocks. Even out of the species that sleep up off the ground, many forage for grasses, seeds and other food on the ground.

    Terrestrial Troubles

    • If you're thinking that sleeping on the ground isn't the safest arrangement, you'd be right. In "The New Australian Parakeet Handbook" published in 1992, Matthew M. Vriends wrote that these ground breeders, along with their eggs and their babies, are easy prey for predators like feral and domestic cats and foxes. The threat of danger doesn't deter them from trying to make homes on the ground, though.

    Sleeping Arrangements for Your 'Keet

    • Most domesticated parakeets are the Australian budgies who don't sleep on the ground. When making a home for your parakeet, you don't have to include sleeping quarters, but you might find that your little feathered friend will appreciate having options when nap time rolls around. There's an assorted choice when it comes to providing a place for your parakeet to rest, from nesting boxes with straw and other conventional nesting materials to hammocks made from fleece or other soft materials. There are even birdie sleep tents; some can be arranged to hang above a section of your parakeet's perch; others have a soft fleece floor with no need for a roosting place inside.