The Natural Habitat of Parakeets
While the word parakeet can mean any small parrot, its use in the United States refers to the common pet parakeet, which is also called a budgie or a budgerigar. They are popular pets all over the world, and learning more about their natural habitat can tell you more about the parakeet's habits and needs.
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Geography
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Wild parakeets are found in the Australian outback, the dry central part of the Australian continent. They live in large flocks and must travel from watering hole to watering hole in order to make sure that they can find enough water to live on.
History
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Australian aborigines called the parakeet the betcherrygah, and Europeans didn't sight the birds until the 1800s.They were caught in nets that were laid at their natural feeding grounds and brought back to Europe and America. Today, none of the parakeets that are available in the pet trade were taken from their natural habitat; instead, they have been bred in captivity.
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Diet
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In their natural habitat, parakeets need a location that is rich in seeds, which are their primary source of food. While the seeds provide them with nutrients and energy, they also provide the birds with water, which is often scarce in the Australian outback. When there is a shortage of water, the parakeets will stop laying eggs.
Features
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Not only do parakeets need a place where they can get enough water and seeds to eat, they also need places to nest. Parakeets nest in holes in trees, stumps or logs, and if the environment is rich in water and food, they can have clutches one right after another. The young can start breeding in three months, and the flocks can swell to 50,000 in number.
Risks
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The native environment of the parakeet contains many predators. Hawks, snakes and other predators can pick off adults or hatchlings. Thirst is another danger that parakeets face. When the watering hole that they have been using dries up, they need to search for another one that will provide them with the food and water that they need.
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References
- Photo Credit Sittich image by Petra Kohlstädt from Fotolia.com
