Budgerigar Budgerigar

1. Black scalloped pattern on wings and back contrasting with bright yellow face

2. Small size and swift, undulating flight pattern when in flocks

3. Cheerful warbling "chirrup" contact calls as they fly or feed together

Budgerigars are nomadic opportunists, breeding in response to rainfall rather than seasons. They nest in tree hollows where females lay 4-6 eggs, with chicks hatching after about 18 days. Their ability to detect rainfall from hundreds of kilometers away allows them to travel to areas of fresh growth, forming massive breeding flocks when conditions are right.

Look for Budgerigars across Australia's inland plains and open woodlands, grasslands, scrubland, and particularly in the arid and semi-arid zones. They're most active in the early morning or late afternoon when they venture to waterholes to drink. Search open grasslands where they feed on the ground, or scan the skies for their distinctive undulating flight pattern as flocks travel between feeding and drinking sites. After good rains, populations can explode, with thousands gathering.