Skip to content
Domestic Budgerigar
Ángel Mata, CC0, via iNaturalist

Parrots & macaws

Domestic Budgerigar

Melopsittacus undulatus (Shaw, 1805)

LC Least Concern

Names

EnglishDomestic Budgerigar
DutchGrasparkiet
SpanishPeriquito Australiano Doméstico
Chinese虎皮鹦鹉(驯化)
Sranan Tongopopokai (general name for the group)
Scientific nameMelopsittacus undulatus (Shaw, 1805)

About this species

The budgerigar ( BUJ-ər-ih-gar, -ə-ree-; Melopsittacus undulatus), also known as the common parakeet, shell parakeet or budgie ( BUJ-ee), is a small, long-tailed, seed-eating parrot native to Australia. Naturally, the species is green and yellow with black, scalloped markings on the nape, back, and wings. Budgies are bred in captivity with colouring of blues, whites, yellows, greys, and even with small crests. Juveniles and chicks are monomorphic (the sexes are visually indistinguishable), while adults are told apart by their cere colouring and their behaviour.

The species is monotypic, meaning it is the only member of the genus Melopsittacus, which is the only genus in the tribe Melopsittacini.

The budgerigar is closely related to lories and the fig parrots.

The origin of the budgerigar's name is unclear. First recorded in 1805, budgerigars are popular pets around the world due to their small size, low cost, and ability to mimic human speech. They are the third most popular pet in the world, after the domesticated dog and cat.

Read more on Wikipedia · Text: Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Classification

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassAves
OrderPsittaciformes
FamilyPsittacidae
GenusMelopsittacus

In Suriname

1Records in Suriname
1iNaturalist observations
2008First record

Where it has been recorded

  • Para1

Districts with at least one record that has coordinates. Shaded districts have records.

Sources & credits

Spotted a mistake or know another local name? Tell us.

Related species in Suriname