Budgerigar vs Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
Melopsittacus undulatus compared with Cicinnurus respublica
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Budgerigar | Wilson's Bird-of-paradise |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Melopsittacus undulatus | Cicinnurus respublica |
| Order | Psittaciformes | Passeriformes |
| Family | Psittaculidae | Paradisaeidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | 18.0 cm (7.1 in) | 16.0 cm (6.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) | 19.0 cm (7.5 in) |
| Weight | 30.0 g (1.06 oz) | 55.0 g (1.94 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily grass seeds and other small seeds. In the wild, feeds on the ground in … | Fruit and insects gleaned from the forest canopy and subcanopy. Particularly favors figs. |
| Clutch Size | 4-6 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Budgerigar
Open grasslands, scrublands, and woodland in the Australian interior. Nomadic, following rainfall and seeding events.
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
Lowland and hill forests on the small islands of Waigeo and Batanta in the Raja Ampat archipelago, Indonesia.
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.
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
Male gives a harsh, nasal 'waah' or 'eeah' from display perch. Song is poorly documented in wild. Also produces mechanical rattling wing sounds during display flights.
Geographic Range & Migration
Budgerigar
Interior of Australia, especially arid and semi-arid regions. One of the most popular pet birds worldwide.
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
Endemic to the islands of Waigeo and Batanta off the northwestern tip of New Guinea, Indonesia.
Conservation Status
Budgerigar
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
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
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
Males have a brilliant red back, yellow nape, turquoise blue bare crown, and green breast shield. Violet-blue curled tail wires. Females are brownish with bare blue crown.
Short, slightly curved greyish 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.
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
Wilson's bird-of-paradise is one of the most extraordinarily colored birds on Earth. Males meticulously clear a patch of forest floor as a display court, removing every leaf and twig. The species was virtually unknown to science until the late 20th century due to its restricted island range.