Budgies and parakeets are actually one in the same. Parakeet is a name adopted by the United States and is interchangeable with the budgie name whilst budgies, sometimes even called budgerigars are a specific small colorful parrot. However, not all parakeets are budgies but, you can technically say that all budgies are parakeets.
This is because budgies make up 2 specific parrots, the traditional budgie and an English budgie whilst parakeet is an umbrella term used for the subfamily Psittacinae that consists of 115 different species.
Why Are Parakeets Called Budgies?
In the book Parrots of the wild by Joseph M. Forshaw’s, parakeets are listed as budgerigar’s which is the full name for the shortened budgie term.
Furthermore, the traditional budgie is interchangeable with the parakeet name because both names fall under the latin name Melopsittacus undulatus.
Outside the United States most people call these little parrots budgies and has been the case for many many years. It does make sense when you consider budgerigar is the full name so, budgie being a shortened version of that is only natural as it just rolls off the tongue easily.
It’s believed that calling budgerigars parakeets originated from the French word perroquet which directly translates to parrot. Obviously the French term is spelt completely different from how we now say parakeet but, the inspiration is definitely present.
In regards to what France or French speaking countries call parakeets, that would be perruche.
As for how budgies got their name, it’s theorized that the the slang term ‘budgery’ used in Australia may be a contributing factor.
Considering the complete name for these colorful, long tailed parrots is Budgerigar and also because the latin name is a tongue twister in and of itself too, referring to these little parrots as budgies stuck around. In my opinion at least it makes a lot of sense as it easily rolls off tongue.
Do Parakeet/Budgies Make Good Pets?
Yes, these colorful little parrots make great pets,, whether it’s your first or tenth. This is because they’re intelligent, not high maintenance and just fun companion’s to be around. A smaller stature means you won’t need to splash the cash on food either as you can simply buy a packet of pelleted seeds to last your feathered bud a good while.
Of course you’d want to mix in a bunch of other fruits and vegetables to balance the diet out but, it’s definitely not too much of a nuisance.
You can have tons of fun with parakeets. When you consider their intelligence and their sociable nature with birds other than other parakeets is honestly a major positive especially when other little parrots like lovebirds aren’t the most approachable bird types.
Much like larger parrots parakeets can learn hundreds of words to communicate along with memorise and eventually mimic song melodies. The whole teaching process isn’t immediate and you will have to go through the initial phase taming the parakeet, which can take two weeks or more.
Moreover, they require a lot of attention to bond and they will be cautious in the beginning due to our size differences. To build this bond its recommended that you spend 3 – 4 hours socialising everyday with your feathered buddy, give the parakeet space when necessary and and be patient so it can adapt to you.
Baby parakeets are a lot easier to bond with but, older parakeets can still build deep bonds provided they are given the opportunity to do so.
A few of the main resources you’d need in order to keep parakeets happy and healthy would include providing them with a large cage that’s at least 18 inches wide, 18 inches deep, and 20 inches long, whilst giving them enough toys, perches and activities to play with when your attention is elsewhere.
Are All Parakeet’s Budgies
No, all parakeet’s are not budgies whilst all budgies would be regarded as parakeets. Budgie is a term used to describe either a traditional budgie (commonly interchangeable with parakeet) or an English budgie.
Parakeet can further be used to accommodate a number of other species that fall within the parakeet line. Some of these include:
- rose-ringed parakeet
- monk parakeet
- plain parakeet
- barred parakeet and more
Budgerigars are essentially what most would refer to as the common parakeet whilst a good number of parakeets are completely different from your average budgie. Parakeets consist of 115 species in 30 genera of the subfamily Psittacidae (family Psittacidae) all of which have a slender build with a long, tapered tail feathers.
Summary
Parakeets, budgies and budgerigar are all interchangeable names for the same bird so one being better than the other is not something that can be answered as they’re all one in the same.
The core difference that y ou could say is that parakeet is the term Americans use to describe these little parrots whilst budgie is what the remainder of the English speaking countries call them.
Parakeet is also a blanket term used to describe the Psittacidae subfamily within the Psittaciformes or parrot species as a whole.
References
https://www.britannica.com/animal/parakeet
Amhil Khan, a dedicated nature enthusiast and the founder of BirdsOfTheWild.com, is a passionate advocate for the captivating world of avian wonders. With a deep-seated curiosity about the intricate lives of birds, Amhil’s journey began as a fascination and has evolved into a mission to inspire others to appreciate and protect these magnificent creatures.
Amhil’s love for birds led to the creation of Birds of the Wild, a platform where his expertise in ornithology, coupled with his captivating storytelling, provides readers with an immersive and educational experience. Through his lens and words, he captures the essence of birds in their natural habitats, offering a glimpse into their behaviors, migrations, and the ecosystems they inhabit.