Parakeets and lovebirds are among the most common bird pets we can own but, their difference in temperaments, habits, loudness and the way in which they interact with us and other animals is quite different from one another despite their similarities in size. 

Physically parakeets are slightly longer but, lovebirds are heavier with larger beaks. In regards to temperament parakeets are more social whilst lovebirds are more territorial. In regards to noise both can be noisy but lovebirds are definitely the noisier of the two.

I’ll be going over the differences between both birds in the remainder of this article so you have a better understanding of them.

The Physical Differences

Parakeets also known as the traditional budgie or budgerigar tend to be the lighter parrot out of the 2 weighing in at around 30 – 40 grams with lovebirds weighing in at around 40 – 60 grams. Parakeets usually are between in length 18 – 21cm from tail to head whilst lovebirds are generally 13 – 17cm.

Parakeets also have the longer wingspan at around 30cm with lovebirds being around 24cm so, parakeets may technically be larger in size (mostly due to the tail length) but, lovebirds are the heavier of the 2 as they weigh more and have slightly bigger frame.

As for their lifespans lovebirds are known to live longer in captivity ranging between 10 – 15 years whilst parakeets usually live a shorter life between 5 – 8 years.

Parakeets come in variety of colors with their base colors either being yellow or white. Yellow based parakeets are normally anywhere from yellow to green whilst white based can range from white to blue.

Lovebirds come in a variety of colors too from white, blue, with the more common lovebirds generally coming in a green and color.

Lovebirds have the larger beak too and are known to be more aggressive in their usage of it, which is a subject I’ll dig into in a bit more detail below.

How Do Lovebirds Behave Differently To Parakeets

Interactions With Other Birds

Lovebirds, particularly female lovebirds, are known to be territorial around their nests and are significantly more aggressive than the male (speaking from experience here) so, that is one element where both birds do differ.

Parakeets are more social and are more than capable of interacting with other smaller parrots like cockatiels or parrotlets yet lovebirds have been known to attack others aggressively if they enter their territory other their mate. With that being said lovebirds pairs do still fight.

Parakeets and lovebirds are both monogamous birds and require companionship, whether it be a bird from their own species or an owner who they’ve built a strong bond with.

Their Noise Levels

In regards to noise levels both aren’t what you would call quiet, especially during the morning where other birds outside are singing or chirping.

However, the noises produced by each bird is different depending on their mood and time of day. Parakeets are actually on the quitter side even among most other pet birds and due to their social nature, if say another bird or person is in their presence, they generally produce lighter and quicker chirps in an attempt to strike up a conversation.

That’s more their tame and quieter tone but, the volume can exponentially increase depending on their mood. If excited or scared it is possible for these birds to achieve much louder volumes reaching a moderately quiet 65 decibels.

Lovebirds on the other hand are far nosier with their volume reaching around the 83 decibel range. Their squawks are more ear piercing too and can even be heard through multiple wall.

Where Do Parakeets And Lovebirds Live In The Wild?

When it comes to living in the wild, the habitats of lovebirds and parakeets are very similar but, the places they stay within are in completely different continents.

Parakeets are found in Australia where they tend to spend their time interacting in flocks of 3 and sometimes even upto 1000+ if a special incident like Alice Springs occurs. In that incident thousands of parakeets gathered together for a single purpose, which was to fly towards a gigantic water hole and divebomb into it.

Other than that parakeets also tend to share information with each other, such as places where they can hunt for food, where to find water etc.

Lovebirds are found in southwest Africa where they travel in smaller flocks which can be anywhere from 2 – 6 give or take a few. They aren’t nearly as social as parakeets, a good bit more aggressive and more territorial than too so they won’t, if rarely, share information between other flocks.

Although both parrots can be domineering, parakeets are a little more flexible with whom they socialise with whilst lovebirds can even make people draw blood if they’re not too fond of them.

Would You Need To Get Parakeets or Lovebirds In Pairs?

Neither bird requires a partner as long as their owner is able to provide enough of their time to build a bond.

Parakeets may require a bit more effort to bond with as they like to socialise, without which they won’t be as happy. it’s recommended that you spend between 4 – 5 hours bonding with a parakeet when you first get them.

Once the bond has been built you would still need to provide a decent amount of attention to keep the little avian happy but not as before when attempting to build that bond. Lovebirds are lot more reserved in that regard and are in turn a little harder to tame (especially the more aggressive females).

The bonding strategy would be the same for lovebirds although their less social temperament means they’ll be a bit harder to bond with.

In both cases, especially if you have a busier lifestyle, it is easier to get a pair of parakeets or a pair of lovebirds to keep each other company but, it is not a mandatory requirement as either parrot can be bought as a singular pet if you have the time and patience to maintain their happiness by socialising with them everyday.

Summary

The main differences between parakeets and lovebirds happen to be:

• Parakeets are longer but lovebirds are bigger in terms of weight
• Lovebirds have bigger beaks than parakeets
• Lovebirds are much louder than parakeets
• Parakeets are more social
• Lovebirds are more territorial and aggressive
• Parakeets have longer wingspans
• Lovebirds have a longer lifespan between 10 – 15 years whilst parakeets at 5 – 8 years

Both parrots are great pets to have and are relatively easy to look after however, if you don’t want an overly loud animal in your home or, if you have neighbours who may get irritated by the squawking of your parakeet and especially your lovebird, it’s best to look into this topic a bit more before jumping the gun purchasing either avian.