AnimalTracks.wiki

What the sources say

BudgerigarMelopsittacus undulatus

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Budgerigar profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 42 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

Profile updated

Source
01

Australian Museum

Budgerigar. Australian Museum.

The page saysSeeds of native grasses and herbs, such as porcupine grass and saltbush, picked mostly off the ground
The source saysBudgerigars feed almost exclusively on the seeds of native herbs and grasses, such as porcupine grass and saltbush. Seeds are mostly eaten from the ground
The page says17 to 18 cm long
The source saysSize Range 17 cm to 18 cm
The page saysa dark blue cere, the fleshy patch at the base of the beak, in males; a breeding female's cere turns brownish instead
The source saysThe male has a dark blue cere (skin at the base of the upper mandible surrounding the nostrils). In the female this is brownish when breeding and light blue otherwise.
The page saysYoung budgies are duller than adults, with a dark brown eye that turns white or yellow as they mature
The source saysYoung Budgerigars are similar to the adult birds, but are duller and have a dark brown eye (which is white or yellow in adults).
The page saysBudgerigars occur naturally throughout much of mainland Australia, absent from the far south-west, the north of the Northern Territory, Tasmania and the majority of the east coast
The source saysThe Budgerigar occurs naturally throughout much of mainland Australia, but is absent from the far south-west, the north of the Northern Territory, Tasmania and the majority of the east coast.
The page saysThey're nomadic, and large flocks can be seen in most open habitat types
The source saysBudgerigars are nomadic and large flocks of birds can be seen in most open habitat types
The page saysa flock usually runs from as few as three birds up to 100 or more, but occasionally numbers in the tens of thousands after a season of abundant rainfall and food
The source saysVery large flocks, numbering occasionally in the tens of thousands, are seen after a season of abundant rainfall and food. Flocks are usually much smaller, however, and range from as few as three birds up to 100 or more.
The page saysthey are seldom far from water
The source saysseldom far from water
The page saysBudgerigars breed in response to rainfall and may raise several broods if conditions permit; the nest is a bare cavity in a tree branch or trunk
The source saysBudgerigars tend to breed in response to rainfall, and may produce several broods if conditions permit. The nest is a bare cavity in a suitable tree branch or in the trunk
The page saysBudgerigars are nomadic, and large flocks can be seen in most open habitat types. A flock usually runs from as few as three birds up to 100 or more, but occasionally numbers in the tens of thousands after a season of abundant rainfall and food.
The source saysBudgerigars are nomadic and large flocks of birds can be seen in most open habitat types ... Very large flocks, numbering occasionally in the tens of thousands, are seen after a season of abundant rainfall and food. Flocks are usually much smaller, however, and range from as few as three birds up to 100 or more.
The page saysThey are still seldom far from water.
The source saysseldom far from water
The page saysnomadic, and seldom far from water
The source saysBudgerigars are nomadic and large flocks of birds can be seen in most open habitat types, but seldom far from water.

Source
02

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Melopsittacus undulatus (budgerigar). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysSemi-arid and sub-humid habitats, mainly in the interior of Australia
The source saysBudgerigars occupy a range of semi-arid and sub-humid habitats mainly in the interior of Australia.
The page saysThey occupy semi-arid and sub-humid habitats, mainly in the interior.
The source saysBudgerigars occupy a range of semi-arid and sub-humid habitats mainly in the interior of Australia.
The page saystags: herbivore
The source saysThese seeds are extremely energy rich and are equivalent to the caloric content of animal tissue. Therefore, no alternate food source is necessary.Note: task #617: replaces frugivore, whose definition is fresh fruit and forest regeneration through seed dispersal; the budgerigar eats no fruit and dehulls the grass seed it eats. ADW's Primary Diet is herbivore and granivore, and the herbivore tag already carries seed- and plant-eating birds (kakapo, golden pheasant).
The page saysdangerLevel: Low
The source saysTheir ability to consume a large number of seeds when in groups concerns farmers.Note: task #617: kept. ADW's only negative for humans is crop seed; a 30 g seed-eater is effectively harmless.

Source
03

AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Human Ageing Genomic Resources

Melopsittacus undulatus. AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Human Ageing Genomic Resources.

The page saysabout 30 g as an adult
The source saysAdult weight 30 g
The page saysIn captivity, a budgerigar can live up to 21 years
The source saysIn captivity these animals have been reported to live up to 21 years
The page saysweightKg: 0.03
The source saysAdult weight 30 gNote: task #617: the name guess put a bird at Light (0.1 to 10 kg); 30 g is Micro. ADW gives the same 'Average mass 30 g'.

Source
04

Farabaugh, Linzenbold & Dooling 1994

Farabaugh, Linzenbold & Dooling (1994). Vocal plasticity in budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus): Evidence for social factors in the learning of contact calls. Journal of Comparative Psychology.

The page saysthe birds in each cage shared the same dominant call type eight weeks later, with the first copy showing up after just a week
The source saysThe first appearance of 1 bird's imitation of a cagemate's contact call type occurred after 1 week ... Birds in the same cage shared the same dominant call type 8 weeks later
The page saysAdult budgerigars keep learning new contact calls, the chirps a bird uses to announce where it is.
The source saysbudgerigars can learn calls as adults, and call type convergence is achieved through mutual vocal imitation of social companions
The page saysWhen researchers caged six unrelated adult males where they could hear, but not see, birds in a neighbouring cage
The source saysDistance or contact calls of 6 unrelated adult male budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) were recorded before and during 8 weeks of social contact. The 6 birds were housed in 2 separate groups of 3 each in adjoining cages. Birds in each cage could hear but not see the birds in the neighboring cage.
The page saysAdult budgerigars keep learning new contact calls, the chirps a bird uses to announce where it is.
The source saysbudgerigars can learn calls as adults, and call type convergence is achieved through mutual vocal imitation of social companions

Source
05

Hile, Plummer & Striedter 2000

Hile, Plummer & Striedter (2000). Male vocal imitation produces call convergence during pair bonding in budgerigars, Melopsittacus undulatus. Animal Behaviour.

The page saysThe nomadic outback parrot that rewrites its own call to match a brand-new mate.
The source sayseight of the nine male budgerigars imitated the contact calls of their assigned mates
The page saysRewrites its own contact call as an adult to match a new mate's voice, in about two weeks on average
The source saysall pairs developed a shared call within an average of 2.1 weeks ... eight of the nine male budgerigars imitated the contact calls of their assigned mates
The page sayswhen researchers introduced strangers as pairs, all of them developed a shared call within an average of 2.1 weeks, usually with the male reworking his call to match hers
The source saysall pairs developed a shared call within an average of 2.1 weeks ... eight of the nine male budgerigars imitated the contact calls of their assigned mates, while none of the females imitated the calls of their males
The page saysMales copied their mate's call, not the other way round.
The source sayseight of the nine male budgerigars imitated the contact calls of their assigned mates, while none of the females imitated the calls of their males
The page saysEight of nine paired males imitated their partner's contact call, while none of the nine females copied theirs.
The source sayseight of the nine male budgerigars imitated the contact calls of their assigned mates, while none of the females imitated the calls of their males
The page saysWhen a pair of strangers is introduced, they converge on a shared call within an average of 2.1 weeks, and in one study eight of nine paired males imitated their mate's call while none of the nine females copied theirs.
The source saysall pairs developed a shared call within an average of 2.1 weeks ... eight of the nine male budgerigars imitated the contact calls of their assigned mates, while none of the females imitated the calls of their males
The page sayskeeps learning new contact calls as an adult
The source sayseight of the nine male budgerigars imitated the contact calls of their assigned matesNote: vibe.reason (#692 re-home)
The page saysreworks its own to match its mate's
The source saysall pairs developed a shared call within an average of 2.1 weeks ... eight of the nine male budgerigars imitated the contact calls of their assigned matesNote: vibe.reason (#692 re-home)
The page sayseight of nine males imitated their partner's contact call, while none of the nine females copied theirs
The source sayseight of the nine male budgerigars imitated the contact calls of their assigned mates, while none of the females imitated the calls of their malesNote: vibe.reason (#692 re-home)

Source
06

Jarvis & Mello 2000

Jarvis & Mello (2000). Molecular mapping of brain areas involved in parrot vocal communication. The Journal of Comparative Neurology.

The page saysIn the brain, hearing another budgie's warbles and vocalizing itself switch on gene activity in distinctly separate regions, in a bird order whose ability to learn vocalizations is thought to have evolved independently of songbirds.
The source saysbelonging to an order whose ability to learn vocalizations is thought to have evolved independently of songbirds ... there was distinct separation of brain areas that had hearing- or vocalizing-induced ZENK expressionNote: abstract-only source: hand-checked, both clauses are verbatim in the cached abstract text

Source
07

Pearn, Bennett & Cuthill 2001

Pearn, Bennett & Cuthill (2001). Ultraviolet vision, fluorescence and mate choice in a parrot, the budgerigar Melopsittacus undulatus. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences.

The page saysBudgerigar feathers reflect near-ultraviolet light, wavelengths invisible to humans, and they also glow yellow under intense UV
The source saysthe plumage of the budgerigar Melopsittacus undulatus reflects near-ultraviolet (UVA) wavelengths (300-400 nm) and exhibits UVA-induced fluorescence ... the yellow fluorescence observed under intense UVA illumination
The page saysResearchers who used filters to remove and restore that reflectance found that females consistently prefer UV-reflecting males, and that the preference comes from UV changing the perceived hue rather than the brightness.
The source saysthe presence and absence of UV reflectance and fluorescence were manipulated using filters ... not only do females consistently prefer UV-reflecting males, but also that the observed preferences are due to removal of UV affecting the perceived hue rather than brightness
The page saysenhancing a male's yellow through fluorescence had no effect on his attractiveness
The source saysenhancement of the budgerigar's yellow coloration through fluorescence has no effect on male attractiveness
The page saysThere's no evidence the yellow fluorescence is itself important as a signal, though it may absorb UVA and so increase the contrast with nearby UV-reflecting plumage.
The source saysthe fluorescent plumage may play a role in signalling by virtue of the fact that it absorbs UVA and so increases contrast with nearby UV-reflecting plumage ... no evidence that the yellow fluorescence observed under UVA illumination is itself important as a signal
The page saysBudgerigar feathers reflect near-ultraviolet light that humans can't see, and they also glow yellow under intense UV.
The source saysthe plumage of the budgerigar Melopsittacus undulatus reflects near-ultraviolet (UVA) wavelengths (300-400 nm) and exhibits UVA-induced fluorescence ... the yellow fluorescence observed under intense UVA illumination
The page saysResearchers who used filters to remove and restore that UV reflectance found that females consistently prefer UV-reflecting males, and that the preference comes from UV changing the perceived hue rather than the brightness.
The source saysthe presence and absence of UV reflectance and fluorescence were manipulated using filters ... not only do females consistently prefer UV-reflecting males, but also that the observed preferences are due to removal of UV affecting the perceived hue rather than brightness
The page saysThe glow is a separate matter: enhancing a male's yellow through fluorescence had no effect on his attractiveness, and there's no evidence the yellow fluorescence is itself important as a signal.
The source saysenhancement of the budgerigar's yellow coloration through fluorescence has no effect on male attractiveness ... no evidence that the yellow fluorescence observed under UVA illumination is itself important as a signal
The page saysNot as far as anyone has shown.
The source saysno evidence that the yellow fluorescence observed under UVA illumination is itself important as a signal

Source
08

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018

Melopsittacus undulatus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T22685223A132056957.

The page saysLeast Concern
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC). Melopsittacus undulatus (Shaw, 1805), IUCN taxon 22685223.Note: category read through GBIF's copy of the Red List, as verify:quotes does; the assessment DOI is cited

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.