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Budgerigar

Melopsittacus undulatus

Bird · family Psittacidae · order Psittaciformes

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Longest recorded life
21 years[3]

The budgerigar is a small parrot in the family Psittacidae[4]. NatureServe ranks it G5, which means Secure, and lists it as introduced in Florida and North Carolina[2][5].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives the budgerigar a global rank of G5 (Secure)[2]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[6]. The budgerigar is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS data[1]. CITES lists it in Appendix II, which means there are controls on international trade[7].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[6] Least concern
CITES (international trade)[7] Appendix II

Where Budgerigar lives

NatureServe lists the budgerigar as introduced, not native, in Florida and North Carolina[5]. Its state conservation rank in both states is SNA, and the table on this page shows these ranks[8]. Observation records on GBIF come most often from Florida, Texas, California, New York and Illinois, but those counts follow how much people look and report, not how many birds there are[9].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: introduced, state rank SNANCSouth Carolina: not recordedSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: not recordedTXFlorida: introduced, state rank SNAFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[8].
Show state ranks (2 states)
StateRankMeaning
FloridaSNANot Applicable
North CarolinaSNANot Applicable

Habitat

NatureServe records suburban or orchard areas and riparian (streamside) habitat for the budgerigar[10]. In its native range it uses open woodland, grassland and scrubby land, especially in dry regions[11]. Where it has been introduced, it lives in suburbs and parks[11]. It nests in a natural cavity or a nest box[11].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[10]

Size, diet and lifespan

The budgerigar eats mainly seeds and is listed as a granivore, or seed eater[12][13]. EltonTraits estimates its diet at 100% seeds[14]. Its typical length is 18 cm (7 in)[15]. A clutch is usually 4 to 7 eggs, and the female incubates them for about 18 days[16]. Both parents tend the young, which take their first flight at roughly 30 to 36 days[16]. The oldest known budgerigar lived 21 years in captivity, and that is a record, not a typical lifespan[3].

Trait Value
Typical length[15] 18 cm (7 in)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[3] 21 years (captivity)
Litter or clutch size[17] 5
Gestation or incubation[18] 18 days
Female maturity[19] 180 days (about 0.5 years)
Food habits[13] Granivore

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[14]

  • 100% seeds

When to look for it

NatureServe describes the budgerigar as diurnal, which means active during the day[20]. GBIF records in the United States are highest in August, September and October[21]. These records reflect when people look and report, not how many birds there are[21].

January: 208 recordsJanFebruary: 209 recordsFebMarch: 194 recordsMarApril: 344 recordsAprMay: 461 recordsMayJune: 488 recordsJunJuly: 537 recordsJulAugust: 780 recordsAugSeptember: 845 recordsSepOctober: 625 recordsOctNovember: 319 recordsNovDecember: 217 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[21].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January208
February209
March194
April344
May461
June488
July537
August780
September845
October625
November319
December217

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Budgerigar as present in 3 park units[22]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Florida, Texas, California, New York, Illinois[9]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the budgerigar endangered?
No. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G5 (Secure)[2].
Where does the budgerigar live in the US?
NatureServe lists it as introduced in Florida and North Carolina[5]. GBIF records come most often from Florida, Texas, California, New York and Illinois[9].
What does the budgerigar eat?
It eats mainly seeds[12]. EltonTraits estimates its diet at 100% seeds[14].
How big is a budgerigar?
Its typical length is 18 cm (7 in)[15].
How long does a budgerigar live?
The longest recorded lifespan is 21 years in captivity[3]. That is a record, not a typical lifespan.

Facts and sources

  1. Budgerigar is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Budgerigar: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 21 years in captivity. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  4. Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) is a bird in the family Psittacidae, order Psittaciformes. NatureServe Explorer
  5. NatureServe lists Budgerigar as introduced (not native) in: Florida, North Carolina. NatureServe Explorer
  6. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  7. CITES listing recorded by NatureServe: Appendix II (controls on international trade). NatureServe Explorer
  8. NatureServe state ranks for Budgerigar (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  9. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Budgerigar: Florida, Texas, California, New York, Illinois. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  10. Habitat types NatureServe records for Budgerigar: Suburban/orchard, Riparian. NatureServe Explorer
  11. NatureServe notes on habitat for Budgerigar. NatureServe Explorer
  12. NatureServe notes on food for Budgerigar. NatureServe Explorer
  13. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Granivore. NatureServe Explorer
  14. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 100% seeds. EltonTraits 1.0
  15. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 18 cm (7 in). NatureServe Explorer
  16. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Budgerigar. NatureServe Explorer
  17. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 5. AnAge
  18. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 18 days. AnAge
  19. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 180 days (about 0.5 years). AnAge
  20. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Diurnal. NatureServe Explorer
  21. GBIF observation records of Budgerigar in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  22. NPSpecies park lists recording Budgerigar as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.