Budgerigar vs Common Nightingale
Melopsittacus undulatus compared with Luscinia megarhynchos
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Budgerigar | Common Nightingale |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Melopsittacus undulatus | Luscinia megarhynchos |
| Order | Psittaciformes | Passeriformes |
| Family | Psittaculidae | Muscicapidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 18.0 cm (7.1 in) | 16.5 cm (6.5 in) |
| Wingspan | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) | 25.0 cm (9.8 in) |
| Weight | 30.0 g (1.06 oz) | 21.0 g (0.74 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily grass seeds and other small seeds. In the wild, feeds on the ground in … | Insects and larvae, supplemented with berries in autumn. Forages on or near the ground in … |
| Clutch Size | 4-6 | 4-5 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Budgerigar only
Common Nightingale only
Budgerigar
Open grasslands, scrublands, and woodland in the Australian interior. Nomadic, following rainfall and seeding events.
Common Nightingale
Dense thickets, scrub, and undergrowth in deciduous woodland. Prefers areas with thick ground cover near water.
Song & Call Comparison
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.
Common Nightingale
Considered Europe's finest songster: an extraordinarily rich, loud, flute-like melody of bubbling trills, slow whistles, and a distinctive crescendo 'lu-lu-lu'. Sings day and night.
Geographic Range & Migration
Budgerigar
Interior of Australia, especially arid and semi-arid regions. One of the most popular pet birds worldwide.
Common Nightingale
Breeds in Europe and western Asia. Winters in sub-Saharan Africa. A long-distance migrant crossing the Sahara.
Conservation Status
Budgerigar
Common Nightingale
How to Tell Them Apart
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
Common Nightingale
Plain warm brown upperparts with a rufous-chestnut tail. Pale greyish-white underparts. Unremarkable appearance belies its remarkable voice.
Thin, pointed, dark brown bill
About These Birds
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.
Common Nightingale
The common nightingale is celebrated as one of the finest songsters in the bird world, inspiring poets from Homer to Keats. Males sing complex phrases of over 250 different types, often at night during breeding season. Despite its famous song, the nightingale is a plain-looking bird that skulks in dense vegetation.