Whats the difference....

...between budgies and parakeets?

 

All budgies are parakeets but not all parakeets are budgies.

The difference is the colouring You can get ring neck parakeets golden parakeets.

mike

 

yes and no... the name "parakeet" is misused to name Budgies and it is only partially true... all budgies are parakeets but not all parakeets are budgies...

if you look at this in comparison to dogs lets say you get yourself a Labrador Retriever... and you tell people you have a "retriever" but dont specify "lab" you are telling them the truth, but very limmited info because there are many types of retriever (golde, Nova Scotia Duck Toller, chesepeke bay, flat coated, curly coated etc) so the person you are talking to cannot be sure what type of retriever you have....

With birds saying you have a "parakeet" if you have a budgie, is right, but not very specific because there are many types of 'keets. Linolated, Indian Ringneck, Quaker, bourkes, mustache etc. Conures are technically Keets as well if you follow the dictionary definition....

However petstores have added to the confusion by labeling "budgies" as "parakeets" in stores confusing the issue.

 

A budgie is a parakeet. To be more specific, all budgies are parakeets, but not all parakeets are budgies. "Parakeet" is a general term used to describe any hookbilled, zygodactylous(two toes pointing forward, two pointing backward) bird with a slender body and a long slender tail. There are many types of parakeets, including cockatiels, alexandrines, and some say macaws.
There are two varieties of budgies, however; the kind most commonly found in pet stores are "American" or "Australian" budgies. These are the type, if a normal green, that you would find in the wild in Australia. English budgies are generally harder to find, more expensive, and have a 'grandfather' like stern look. English budgies are what you would commonly see at a bird show or exhibition. They are sometimes referred to as exhibition budgerigars or "show quality"

 

When you say the word "parrot", the first thing to come to someone's mind is a macaw or cockatoo. If you said "parakeet", the first thing would be a budgie. While this is to some extent correct, it's kind of like referring to every type of dog as a beagle. Birds are a class of vertebrates and parrots are an order of bird, their scientific name being Psittaciformes. Over time the terms "hookbill" and "parrot" have come to refer to any member of the psittaciforme order. There seems to be a bit of confusion regarding the relationship of parrots, parakeets, and budgies. Common questions include "what's the difference between a parrot and a parakeet?" or "what's the difference between a parakeet and a budgie?". The answer to both questions is none. A budgie is a type of parakeet and a parakeet is a type of parrot. It's kind of like asking "what's the difference between a terrier and a dog?". Still confused? An easy way to keep it straight without tons of unpronounceable scientific words is to think of it this way:

Umbrella, Goffins, and Bare Eyed are types of Cockatoo, and a Cockatoo is a type of Parrot.

Hahns, Scarlett, and Blue & Gold are types of Macaw, and a Macaw is a type of Parrot.

Green Cheek, Nanday, and Sun are types of Conure, and a Conure is a type of Parrot.

Cockatiels, Budgies, and Quakers are types of Parakeet, and a Parakeet is a type of Parrot.

So what distinguishes parakeets from other types of parrots? For starters parakeets will have a more tapered build and are generally more agile fliers than other parrots. There is also something to do with the way the tail feathers are layered (not simply the length), however I really don't recall the exact details.
Regardless of whether your parrot is a Macaw, Parakeet, or anything else always remember that he is not fully domesticated, but rather an animal a few generations removed from his native habitat that for some reason openly accepts human companionship and is willing to meet you halfway between his lifestyle and yours. A parrot is an animal with the intelligence and emotional development of a 2-5 year old human child, and should be raised with similar guidance and structuring. Unlike a human child, he won't eventually grow up and move out. Nope. Another thing to always remember is he is not a dog or a cat. Dogs and cats, like us, are predators. Parrots are prey animals and look at things very differently. While predators instincts are honed to find dinner, a parrot's instincts are honed to not become dinner. If he is afraid of something, however irrational, it is not funny. He is very much afraid for his life and that must be viewed with compassion.

 

Budgies are commonly referred to as parakeets but the word parakeet actually describes any small parrot-like bird with a long tail. The term budgie was derived from the word budgerigar, which is based on a similar sounding Aborigine phrase that means, "good eating" and refers specifically to the species Melopsittacus Undulatus

 

Let's start with terminology. The Keet, American Parakeet, Shell Parakeet, English Parakeet, Budgie, and Budgerigar, are all the same species The scientific name is Melopsittacus undulatus. Bird experts prefer that these birds not be called parakeets, for there are a large number of other parakeets found in Australia, South America, and the Indian Sub-Continent. "Parakeet" is simply a common term for a small parrot-type bird with a long tail. In the United States, the term "Budgie" is thought to refer only to the English exhibition or show Keet. In Great Britain, "Budgie" is used to refer to any Keet. "Budgerigar" is an attempt at a transliteration of an Australian Aborigine phrase. When asked by a European explorer the name of the little birds that lived in huge flocks, the reply sounded like "Budgerigar" to Western ears. It really means something like, "tasty snack"! It was easy to hunt the birds by throwing a boomerang into the flock.

 

THis is all website info i dont mean to be rude but if you take info from a website you should give credit to the site itself.

But all in all great info

mike

 

sorry your right I just punched In a search on difference between a parakeet & budgie

 

thx, a little long but go info.

 

good*

 

Don't forget the monk parakeets, AKA Quaker Parrots!

 

How this is turning into a debate! Lol!