Budgerigar

Social

Budgerigars are strongly social and live in large flocks. Large group aggregations of this small parrot allow for increased success in locating feeding resources, but also assist in evading predators. Budgerigars are a ground foraging bird and spend much of their diurnal activity budget on consuming seeds and crop plants.

Monogamous Pairing

Although the budgerigars live in large flocks, they do form monogamous pairs. They are opportunistic nesters, setting up in fence posts and logs. Multiple nests may be located on the same branch. Materials they use to construct their nests include: leaf material, bits of wood, feathers and any other soft materials they may find, including their own feces. Breeding seasons occur after heavy rainy seasons, and rely on abundance of seed.

Sexual dimorphism

Females have a light brown or beige coloring on the skin at the base of the bill, covering the nostrils, called the cere. The male has a blue cere.