The Difference Between Budgies And Parakeets

[Birdlover11]

Lots of members have been PMing me asking about a world wide question . Are parakeets another word for budgie ? Yes they fall under the parakeet category , in America we call budgies parakeets, even though " Parakeet" is a word to describe and categorize parrots that are small to medium, and with long, tapestry like tails. Some birds in the parakeet family are budgies , sun conures ( they fall under parakeet and conure ) , ring necked parakeet, alexandrines, ect... It's been a common misconception that budgies are another word for parakeets, they are usually just nicknamed that. Since we are from all around the world it can be confusing sometimes to know which species of parrot you are talking about when you want help. For instance somebody was writing about a parakeet when I though it was the budgie parakeet, not the category parakeet. I ended up giving wrong information.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

That's a huge pet peeve of mine, Whenever someone tells me they have parakeets I ask them what kind , and tell them I love Alexandrines and derbyans. I love the confused looks they give me.

 

[ConureCrazy]

He he it irks me too! I don't really get annoyed at the person, they don't know, but I always feel like correcting them! Thanks for this!

 

[MonicaMc]

Then we have lovebirds in the Philippines being called parakeets or budgies when they are not... so occasionally, I see these people asking for advice on their "budgies" and get the wrong info, or wondering if their budgie and lovebird can hybridize and when they do, everyone is surprised... but it's just peach faced lovebirds that they are talking about...


If we aren't counting that cockatiels are cockatoos, then I keep three different species of parakeets!



Speaking of derbyans, saw one at a local pet store last night. I must not have seen one before because I thought they were the size of the Moustache's but he's *huge* in comparison! And he's a beauty! At $900 though, that's one big price tag! I kind of hate that this pet shop owner orders in "exotic parrots" that the majority of the people in the area will know absolutely nothing about, so many of the birds end up sitting there for months before being transferred or bought - that is, if someone does decide to get an overpriced bird.

 

[Birdlover11]

I know right ? It's just too wide of a name, I think just like we abriviate cockatoos and macaws we should abbreviate budgie. It will be SO much easier. Why won't we all try and come up with a abbreviation of budgie ? Also, should we sticky this thread just for future members ?

 

[MonicaMc]

Well, budgie is the short form for budgerigar!

 

[sodakat]

I've corresponded with a person who keeps Eclectus in another country and using Google translate to read his emails, the word "parakeet" appears instead of parrot, or where I think parrot or Eclectus should be.

I wonder if some of this is just a translation factor.

 

[Birdlover11]

Well, budgie is the short form for budgerigar!

I know, I know. But a forum term which we could use instead of the mix up of parakeet and budgie, so we know which one the other is talking about.So , it means the American slang term and it's real name, it could clear up A LOT of misconception. I thought about B2E . B stands for budgie, 2 because we usually always get 2 budgies for company,and E because it ends in it.

 

[ConureCrazy]

Or BGE? I don't know.
Bud?

 

[ann]

Thank you for this, it is one of my biggest pet peeves! We could combine the suggested names into something like BGM. Or what about AB for American budgerigar, and EA for English budgerigar?

 

[ConureCrazy]

what about AB for American budgerigar, and EA for English budgerigar?

Oooh, I like this too!

 

[Birdlover11]

what about AB for American budgerigar, and EA for English budgerigar?

Oooh, I like this too!

Dido ! Maybe we should start using this.

 

[MonicaMc]

I wonder how many Australian's have a pet peeve of us Americans calling the standard budgie an "American" budgie, when in fact they are Australian? (after all, all budgies originated from Australia!)

And not everyone calls the English budgies English... some refer to them as Show and Exhibition budgies.

 

[MonicaMc]

I have not heard that "american" budgies were selectively bred for anything other than color! I know that the English/Show variety has been selectively bred for size and conformation, and that they can easily weigh up to twice that of a normal budgie (they are larger!), but that's about it... lol

piriquitos | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
English Budgie vs American Parakeet | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Budgie and parakeet | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

I only consider there to be two different types of budgies, though... The American/Australian/Pet/Normal budgie and then the English/Show/Exhibition breed... unless of course the normal budgies are in fact different to the wild type budgies (beyond just color difference).

 

[MonicaMc]

Then would you consider B&G's domesticated as well?

 

[ct92404]

In the US, I have never heard of budgies being called anything but "parakeets." The bird farm where I got Buddy and Chipper called them parakeets, and all the pet shops I've been to call them parakeets. One time a vet tech did mention that Chipper was a "budgie" but that was the only time I've heard that name being used. I only found out about the name budgerigar after I got interested in birds and started doing research. But I can't even pronounce "budgerigar!"

I realize that budgies are only one type of parakeet, but it still feels natural for me to call them parakeets. I have seen websites refer to them as "American parakeets" since most people in the US call them parakeets. If I tell people I have a pet budgie or budgerigar, most of them won't have any clue what I'm talking about. But if I say I have a pet parakeet, they know what it is.

I guess I'll have to learn to correct myself and say "budgie" when I post topics, but I'm just so used to calling them parakeets for my whole life.

 

[MonicaMc]

I'm pretty sure that the normal budgies we have as pets are around the same size as their wild type ancestors. As far as I am aware, they even have the same shape to them. I don't know about personalities, but it wouldn't surprise me if a wild budgie was hand raised and acted every bit the same as one that's family has been within captivity for hundreds, if not thousands of generations.

There are people breeding B&G's for size and color, too! If it's supposedly a "large B&G" or its a "dark B&G", the name "Bolivian" is slapped onto these birds. I know that we have Pied, Opaline, Blue, (NSL) Lutino, Melanistic, Cinnamon and a possible Spangle mutation already. Blue and Opaline have already been combined.



ct92404, anyone with any amount of true bird knowledge often refers to them as budgies, at least that's been my experience. It would go without saying that people who don't know so much about them (even if they've kept them for years) call them parakeets. I bought my first one as a "parakeet", and immediately started researching them for two weeks straight afterwards, so I was able to learn early on that they are actually budgies.


I pronounce budgerigar as "budge-err-iggar" but I've also seen some see "eegar" instead.