budgerigar

Also budg·er·ee·gah,
Also

[buhj-uh-ree-gahr, -er-i-]

1. an Australian parakeet, Melopsittacus undulatus, having greenish plumage with black and yellow markings, bred as a pet in a variety of colors.

budgerigar

/ ˈbʌdʒərɪˌɡɑː /

noun

1. Often (informal) shortened to: budgie. a small green Australian parrot, Melopsittacus undulatus : a popular cagebird that is bred in many different coloured varieties

Word History and Origins

Origin of budgerigar¹

First recorded in 1840–50; perhaps misrepresentation of Kamilaroi or Yuwaalaraay (an Australian Aboriginal language of northern New South Wales) gijirrigā (perhaps gijirr “yellow” or “small” + gā “head”)

Word History and Origins

Origin of budgerigar¹

C19: from a native Australian language

Example Sentences

In 1965 he appeared in a television performance of Billy Smart's Circus alongside "bewhiskered" period acrobats The Herculeans and a collection of trained budgerigars.

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In a study of budgerigars, for instance, birds who were unfamiliar with each other were placed together.

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Outback pools draw immense swarms of parakeets called budgerigars.

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At the back, a room behind a rusty partition is stuffed with old furniture and has budgerigars singing in cages in each corner.

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Some studies suggest that rats at play make noises that encourage others to join the fun, and that budgerigars copy each others’ yawns and stretches.

Read more on Nature