throughout their range. However, they
can also pose a danger as predators know
there is no other option in dry times for a
drink, and are waiting to pounce on their
next meal. Bush Budgies have been seen
drinking water droplets of dew from the
grass in the early mornings. This is only
a small amount of their requirements,
considering they can drink up to 5% of
their body weight. Budgies will venture
many kilometres from water to feed when
they are not nesting.
IN CAPTIVITY
Feeding
Bush Budgies will mostly eat small seed,
often without dehusking it. In captivity, a
good quality Budgie seed mix should be
made available at all times. Greens are
very important during the breeding season,
especially when there are young in the
nest. During the latter part of winter and
early spring, when chickweed is available,
Bush Budgies will gorge on it to keep the
chicks’ crops full. Feeding chickweed
increases the survival rate. Chickweed
is an excellent source of vitamins and
minerals that encourages breeding. They
will continuously breed with every chick
fl edging while chickweed is available.
When chickweed wasn’t available, we
provided lettuce and celery, but found
when some young
birds fl edged they
were very poor fl yers.
This possibly resulted
from feeding too much
lettuce that contains a
large concentration of
Vitamin B6–causing
Natural log site in an aviary, replicating the
wild nestBush Budgerigars consume chickweed
eagerly—this increases breeding results
Opportunistic breeders chatting around the
nest boxNesting set-up in a communal
breeding aviaryMum tends her babies—she can breed at
any time of the year, provided a good diet
includes essential fatty acids, calcium/D
and other minerals and vitaminsgggBUDGERIGARS—A COMPLETE
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a loss of balance and subsequent injuries
affecting their ability to fl y and perch. To
rectify this problem, we substituted diced
cucumber and apple for the lettuce.HOUSING
Aviary size requirements to house this
small parrot depend on the colony size.
We keep our fi ve breeding pairs in a
small conventional aviary, measuring 3m
x 1.2m x 2m high. The roof area is fully
covered to protect the nest boxes. Only
the front of the fl ight is entirely open.
Numerous small branches and perches,
positioned at different heights throughout
the aviary, allow exercise and suffi cient
perching space. Small rectangle nest
boxes, measuring 25cm x 12.5cm x 12.5cm,
with an inspection door/lid on the top,
are positioned on both ends of the fl ight.
Wood shavings used as nesting material
need to be replaced at the end of the
breeding season. Despite their size, Bush
Budgerigars are aggressive and possessive
of nest boxes if housed with other species.BREEDING
Sourcing Bush Budgies for breeding is
relatively easy these days compared with
the mid-1990s when it was common for
pairs to fetch over $100. Sexing can be
done visually by the nose colour when they
are only a couple months old. Budgerigars
are sexually mature at just three months of
age and pair for life.
The best way to breed them in captivity
is in a colony consisting of an equal number
of unrelated young females and males.
Rule No.1 is always provide a couple more
nests than pairs in the fl ight to eradicate
squabbling between males. It doesn’t seem
to matter if nest boxes are only 5cm apart,BB hhBBdd ii hihihikkk dd
the pairs tolerate each other.
When Bush Budgies are in captivity on
a good diet, they will breed at any time
of the year but more so from August–
December. In the wild, breeding depends
solely on rainfall events and availability of
seeded grasses. Four to six eggs are laid in
a little over a week and incubated by the
female for 18 days. Both parents share the
duty of feeding their young. Chicks fl edge
at 35 days and within a few days learn to
fend for themselves. Bush Budgies are not
common as pets but if the young can be
taken for handrearing two weeks prior to
fl edging, they make good pets and mimic
different sounds and voices.CONCLUSION
Bush Budgerigars are the most endearing
of Australian parrot species.
When they were exported to the UK
many years ago, they were developed
into mutations, some far away from the
diminutive original gene.
In the wild, this true bush dweller
makes the most of favourable weather
conditions. Survival depends solely on
rainfall events in arid parts of Australia,
with a short window of opportunity to
breed. The results of drought conditions
are a breeding failure. As a pet, it is a
relatively easy to
keep small parrot,
providing it is
not housed in
the same aviary
with other parrot
species.ooot,tt,tt tt t