Black-cheeked Lovebird vs Budgerigar
Agapornis nigrigenis compared with Melopsittacus undulatus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black-cheeked Lovebird | Budgerigar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Agapornis nigrigenis | Melopsittacus undulatus |
| Order | Psittaciformes | Psittaciformes |
| Family | Psittaculidae | Psittaculidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 18.0 cm (7.1 in) |
| Wingspan | 18.6 cm (7.3 in) | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) |
| Weight | 40.800000000000004 g (1.44 oz) | 30.0 g (1.06 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Primarily grass seeds and other small seeds. In the wild, feeds on the ground in … |
| Clutch Size | 3-8 | 4-6 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Budgerigar
Open grasslands, scrublands, and woodland in the Australian interior. Nomadic, following rainfall and seeding events.
Song & Call Comparison
Black-cheeked Lovebird
Budgerigar
A rising, chattering 'budgerigar' chatter: rapid series of 'chek-chek-chek' and melodic warbling. Enormous wild flocks produce a continuous roaring chorus. Good vocal mimics in captivity.
Geographic Range & Migration
Black-cheeked Lovebird
Budgerigar
Interior of Australia, especially arid and semi-arid regions. One of the most popular pet birds worldwide.
Conservation Status
Black-cheeked Lovebird
Budgerigar
How to Tell Them Apart
Black-cheeked Lovebird
Budgerigar
Wild-type is green with yellow head and barred black scalloping on upperparts. Captive-bred varieties include blue, white, yellow, and many other colors.
Short, downward-curved, olive-grey bill typical of parakeets
About These Birds
Black-cheeked Lovebird
The Black-cheeked Lovebird is a Vulnerable small parrot endemic to a small area of southwestern Zambia in the Zambezi Valley, with a black face and chestnut forehead contrasting with a bright orange-red bill and green body. It inhabits woodland dominated by mopane trees near permanent water sources. Its tiny range makes it highly vulnerable to habitat degradation and illegal capture for the cagebird trade.
Budgerigar
The budgerigar is the third most popular pet in the world after dogs and cats, and by far the most common pet parrot. Wild budgies travel in enormous nomadic flocks that can darken the sky. Males can learn to mimic human speech, with one record-holding budgie having a vocabulary of 1,728 words.