Australian Budgerigar (Budgie)

Budgies are one of the smallest species of parrot in the world, and live natively in Australia. In nature, they are colored yellow and green, but because they have been selectively bred in the care of humans for many years, can now be seen in lots of different colors and patterns. Adult male and female budgies can be differentiated by the color of their cere, which is the fleshy area surrounding their nostrils at the base of their beak. Adult males have a blue cere, and females have a pink or tan cere. Budgies have become very popular pets to humans all over the world, and are also one of the best talking parrot species on the planet. They can mimic all sorts of sounds, (including human speech) very well. Though sometimes known as the “parakeet” –the Budgerigar is actually only just one of many types of parakeets that exist in the world.