Addressing common myths surrounding sexing, reproduction and diet pertaining to Budgerigars from perspective of aviculturists.

I'm a seasoned aviculturist with a specialty in budgerigars and in my years of involvement in local and online communities, I've run into misconceptions and myths worth addressing. Let's dive in!

Myths versus Facts

First set of myths pertain to visually sexing these sexually dimorphic birds. Sexual dimorphism refers to physical traits visually distinguishing males and females, making DNA sexing redundant.

MYTH 1: Pink cere for girls and blue cere for boys.

Young cocks begin with solid shiny pink/purple coloured ceres, and the colour gradually changes to shiny indigo or rich blue at sexual maturity.
Hens have pale purple, pale blue and whitish cere that is chalky/matte in appearance and they retain this true colour for life. When sex hormones are activated and remain in a state of surge, a temporary layer of brown keratin coating is produced on top of the cere. This is removed if/when the sex hormones revert back to a more neutral state.
Either sex can present with blue coloured ceres, but the tone, hue and overall appearance is distinct for each sex.

MYTH 2: Too young to tell the sex.

Budgies are sexually dimorphic by 3 weeks of age. Experienced breeders can tell the sexes apart by 7 days old. Some cocks hatch with very strongly coloured pink cere and can be sexed on day 1 by an experienced breeder. If the bird is walking and flying around, they are sexually dimorphic.

MYTH 3: Difficult to sex some colour mutations.

Only difference certain mutations make here is the retention of pink cere in mature males. If you can visually sex a young cock, a mature cock and a hen – you can visually tell the sexes apart in any mutation. Easy.

MYTH 4: Cere colour changes from male to female (vice versa) as they grow in both sexes making sexing difficult or impossible in young budgerigars.

Unfactual. False. Untrue. This does not happen.

MYTH 5: Budgies can change sex.

Unfactual. False. Untrue. This does not happen.

This section addresses categorization of the types of budgerigars. The incorrect categorization is primarily (and sometimes exclusively) an American issue. Correctly identifying these birds by their standard nomenclature is beneficial to having discussions among global platforms.

MYTH 6: Budgerigars can be American or English.

All budgies are Australian birds. Categorically there are three primary types of budgerigars.

Wild Bush Budgerigars – smallest in size, come in Normal Light Green variety and do not exist in captivity. Found in Australian outback.
Pet Type Budgerigars – Most common type you are familiar with in captivity. Predominantly seen in pet stores. Larger than wild bush budgerigars, come in many different colours and marking patterns. Incorrectly called American Parakeets in the USA exclusively.
Exhibition or Show Type Budgerigars – Significantly larger with exaggerated features found less commonly in the pet trade. Bred primarily for showing within budgerigar clubs, and come in different colours and patterns. Incorrectly called English budgies primarily in the USA.

This section addresses concepts related to breeding.

MYTH 7: Budgies get pregnant and deliver live babies.

Birds do not get pregnant and there is no gestation. Eggs are expelled as they are produced, fertile embryos develop after incubation begins externally and hatching is expected around 18 days after incubation begins. Tossing eggs before an egg has been incubated for 48 hours isn’t abortion. Budgies won’t have babies just because they have had sex.

MYTH 8: A pair of male and female will always reproduce. Mating will guarantee breeding.

Birds have recreational sex throughout the year without laying eggs. Hens may be determined to lay eggs without owner’s intent of breeding, but this is uncommon. Most birds will only breed when ideal conditions are created. Toss the eggs, remove nesting areas and explore other methods to discourage breeding if eggs are laid.

MYTH 9: If you toss eggs, hens will lay more eggs to replace them.

Budgerigars (and most parrots) are determinate layers. They will lay a set amount of eggs in a clutch. Removal of eggs does not encourage more egg laying. If this was true, unethical breeders would force hens to lay 20 eggs in a row to maximize productivity. This doesn’t work. The myth stems from how certain poultry species produce eggs. Not applicable to parrots.

MYTH 10: Budgies need a nest box or a hut to sleep inside comfortably.

Unfactual. Nests and nest-like areas serve a singular function of raising offspring. The most normal sleeping behaviour is resting on a branch.

MYTH 11: A strict 12 hour long day and night cycle is imperative to reducing hormonal behaviour.

Hormone cycles aren't preventable, and they're essential in maintaining metabolic and physical functionality of mature birds. Furthermore, ideal conditions for breeding are created by making food and water available at all times while maintaining constancy in the type of foods offered throughout the year. By mimicking food habits of their wild cousins, tendency to breed can be controlled throughout the year in captivity. Offer measured amounts of food once a day to last through late afternoon. Vary the types of foods offered most of the year and reduce variety through winter.

MYTH 12: Breeding condition means a bird is ready to breed and hens will spontaneously lay eggs.

Breeding condition is a misleading term. It refers to the physical state where a surge of sex hormones is active for an indefinite period. This can happen as early as 2 months of age or as late as a few years of age, and neither of those two extremes is adequate nor safe for breeding.

Furthermore, budgies aren't more likely to reproduce when they are in breeding condition. Most will only breed when adequate conditions are met and a nesting site is available or built. Therefore the urgency to revert back to a neutral state isn't imperative to discouraging breeding.

Miscellaneous topics.

MYTH 13: A single budgie given a lot of attention can be the happiest.

A flock is an inherent psychosocial need. A flock fosters security and provides much needed enrichment and bonding opportunities that a human cannot replicate. A single budge can be happy, but budgies thrive in flocks of four birds or more. Two birds is recommended at minimum.

MYTH 14: Handfed budgies are the best and tamest budgies. Parent raised budgies are hard to tame.

A well socialized budgerigar with good temperament is a very friendly bird. A bird can be very well socialized by a multitude of techniques by an experienced handler with ease. Formula chugging is moot. Parrots are more well rounded and confident when raised by parents and taught essential skills prior to being ready to be independent.

MYTH 15: Seeds are bad. Pellets are good.

Budgerigars are built for surviving harsh desert conditions and have evolved to survive on minimal water consumption. They’re not naturally heavy drinkers and obtain majority of moisture from foods. High quality and good assortment of seeds provide moisture and energy to match their high metabolism. Meanwhile exclusive pellet diets may cause dehydration, and has been linked to liver and kidney diseases due to higher protein content than what their bodies require. Budgies are among those species of parrots that benefit from seeds, pellets, produce, herbs and flowers in their diet. Other larger parrots benefit more from heavy pellet weighted diets.