Budgerigars

Budgerigars, also known as common parakeets or budgies, are small, long-tailed, seed-eating parrots native to Australia. They are popularly kept as pet birds due to their ability to mimic human speech and their vibrant, cheerful personalities. Budgerigars are also important in avian research as laboratory model animals. They are used for studies of vision, cognition, learning, behavior, and endocrinology due to their ability to live in large colonies and their considerable intelligence. Budgerigars are social animals and are selectively bred for their bright colors and patterning. As such, they are widely used in aviculture and the pet industry.