Behavior Problems With Loud Noises in a Budgie

Budgies are attractively marked parakeets from Australia. These social little birds are easy to care for, whether housed in an outdoor aviary or kept indoors. Although they are hardy, loud and ongoing noises will cause stress in budgies. Budgies in outdoor aviaries should not be housed close to heavy traffic or loud machinery. Household appliances, such as vacuum cleaners, and very active children will frighten recently acquired budgies. Never expose budgies that are trying to sleep or incubate their eggs to loud noises. The behavior of your budgie will typically change due to stress caused by the long-term exposure to loud noises.

  1. Hearing

    • Budgies need to hear to understand the acoustic messages from their mates and other budgies in their flock. These small parakeets use a huge number of sounds for a variety of social behaviors. Budgies also use hearing to learn about their immediate environment. Loud noises frighten budgies, so it is important to speak quietly when near these birds, particularly if it is a single budgie. However, budgies are social birds and will become paranoid if they are surrounded by complete silence.

    Behavior

    • A budgie that is not stressed sits proudly on its perch and typically grinds the bottom and top of its beak together. Budgies that are frightened by loud noises will screech in fright. Their feathers lie flat against their body and their eyes will be noticeably alert. These birds will hold their wings slightly away from their body and will hold their mouths slightly open. They will normally pant and give the impression that they are going to fly off at any time.

    Training

    • Don̵7;t expose young budgies to loud noises during training. Such noises scare young budgies and cause them to retreat into their cages, or even into a nest box. A young budgie may also bite and attempt to hide in a corner of its cage. A budgie that is outside its cage when it is frightened by a loud noise will normally fly to the highest available spot in an attempt to escape harm.

    Noisy Birds

    • Budgies prefer to be louder than other animals or people in their immediate vicinity. Loud noises, such as sirens, barking dogs, very noisy children and electrical appliances upset these birds and will cause abnormal behavior. These stressed birds will take part in excessive grooming to the point of damaging their feathers and may become very loud themselves. Move your budgie cage away from noisy areas whenever possible.