Notes for pet-keepers.
The “parakeet” most people keep as a pet is the Budgerigar, native to the dry inland grasslands of Australia. In the wild they live in massive nomadic flocks, often thousands strong, moving across the outback in response to rainfall. Other “parakeet” species are spread across South America (the conures), Asia, and Africa. A small number of formerly-pet flocks have naturalised in cities like London, San Francisco, and Hyderabad.
What "parakeet" actually means
The word covers many species. The bird most pet-shops sell:
- Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) - Australian native. The “parakeet” of the US pet trade and the “budgie” of the UK.
Other parakeets you might encounter:
- Indian Ringneck Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) - South Asia, naturalised across Europe.
- Monk Parakeet / Quaker Parrot (Myiopsitta monachus) - South America, naturalised in US cities.
- Various conures (Sun Conure, Green-cheeked Conure) - South American “parakeets” with bright plumage.
- Australian King Parrot, Crimson Rosella etc - larger Australian parrots also called parakeets.
The naturalised populations across Europe, North America, and India come mostly from escaped or released pets that managed to breed.
The Budgerigar's wild range
The wild budgerigar lives in the dry interior of Australia:
- Habitat: open grassland, eucalypt woodland, mulga scrub.
- Range: most of inland Australia from Queensland through New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia, Northern Territory.
- Behaviour: nomadic. Flocks track rainfall and seed availability.
- Flock size: routinely 1,000-5,000 birds; mass flocks of 100,000+ have been documented after major rainfall.
A wild budgie in good conditions can survive 8-10 years; pet budgies in poor conditions sometimes die within a year. The difference is environment and diet.
The naturalised flocks
A few well-documented escaped populations:
- Indian Ringnecks in London and southern England - estimated 30,000+ birds, derived from 1970s pet escapes and possibly accidental Ealing studios releases.
- Indian Ringnecks across Europe - flocks in Amsterdam, Paris, Brussels, Cologne.
- Monk Parakeets in Brooklyn and Chicago - long-established colonies, often nesting on utility poles.
- Indian Ringnecks in California (especially Bakersfield) - well-established.
- Various species in Hawaii, Florida, southern Texas - the climate suits multiple parakeet species.
These birds are essentially permanent residents now, with self-sustaining breeding populations.
What they eat in the wild
Wild budgies are seed specialists:
- Spinifex seeds - the dominant outback grass.
- Other grass seeds - whatever’s ripening at the time.
- Sprouting greenery - after rain, fresh shoots.
- Some fruit - rarely; not a significant part of diet.
Pet budgies thrive on a variety: pellets, seed mix, fresh greens, occasional fruit. The wild diet is much less varied.
What about pet budgies and the wild
A pet budgie that escapes will typically not survive long unless it joins an existing naturalised flock. In London or Bakersfield it might find a colony; in most other places it won’t last more than a few days before predators catch it.
If your bird escapes, contact local lost-pet networks fast.
National Audubon Society Birds of North America
For naturalised parakeet identification.
If you're in the US and seeing colourful parrots in unexpected places, the Audubon guide covers the established naturalised species (Monk Parakeet, several Conures, naturalised parrots) with range maps showing where they're confirmed breeding.
- Established naturalised parrot species included
- Range maps with current US distribution
- Photographs of male, female, juvenile
Audubon · 2021 Ed.
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The bottom line
The “parakeet” most people know is a budgerigar from inland Australia. Other parakeets are spread across South America, Asia, and Africa. Naturalised flocks exist in major cities on every continent except Antarctica.
For more pet-bird content, see parakeets and boiled eggs and wild bird feeder reference.
