Budgerigars: domestication history, appearance, lifestyle and how to name a boy

Parrots belong to the order of parrots, which includes about 330 species. They prefer to live in forest areas, but some of them also live in open spaces. To do this, they need the ability to move quickly on the ground in search of food. There are also “alpine” species that live on the tops of snowy mountains.

Appearance

A distinctive feature of absolutely all parrots is a strongly bent thick beak, similar to the beaks of predators. In parrots, it is more mobile, which allows it to crack nuts, bite through thin metal, and even unscrew nuts.

Parrots can be called excellent tree climbers. They move from branch to branch, clinging to them with their beak or paws. Most species not adapted to walking on the ground, when moving, they rely on the beak. But grass and earth individuals can quickly and deftly run along the earth’s surface.

The wings are very large, pointed and developed. The oil gland under the plumage is absent, it is replaced by a powdery substance. It performs the same function – it protects the bird from getting wet. That is why, when a parrot shakes itself off, a cloud of dust appears near it.

The color of the plumage is always conspicuous and bright, green color prevails. But there are also types of white, red, blue and other various colors. The color depends on the structure of the pen and the presence of a certain pigment. Sexual dimorphism is not particularly pronounced. Only in some individuals the male is colored brighter than the female. And in two-color species, individuals of different sexes are painted in completely different colors.

The voices of some individuals are distinguished by amazing melody. Australian parrots sing amazing songs to females and their voice can be envied by many songbirds.

Life

Wild parrots live exclusively in flocks, sometimes entire colonies. Toward evening, they flock to the trees for the night and their voices are heard throughout the district. Often there is a struggle between two flocks for a place to sleep. When night falls, the “screams” of the parrots subside, but reappear at dawn. Birds break into groups and fly in search of food and water. Individuals living in arid areas can make long flights in search of moisture. For example, budgerigars, which during a drought leave their habitat and for a long time fly in search of vegetation and water.

Their diet is very rich and varied. They prefer fruits and seeds of plants, leaves and nectar of flowers, tree sap, and insects. Woodpeckers have a weakness for sweet tree sap. People cut tree trunks, insert tubules there and delicious juice flows into a bowl on the ground. Birds flock and drink until they lose consciousness. Then they are picked up by local residents and sold.

Previously, fierce hunting was carried out on parrots – people used their feathers to decorate clothes. The Incas highly valued large feathers of macaws, they were even inherited. In our time, there are still tribes that adorn themselves with the feathers of these birds. In Europe the same women’s hats with feathers were fashionable, but fortunately this fashion is already a thing of the past.

The history of the domestication of parrots

In India, people have long kept tame parrots. It was customary for them to call parrots sacred birds because of their ability to speak with a human voice. The Romans were very fond of parrots. They kept them in precious ivory and silver cages. They were taught by qualified teachers. At that time, a parrot was much more valuable than an ordinary slave.

After the fall of Rome, the popularity of parrots declined sharply, but over time, after the discovery of America, birds began to be imported to Europe. In Russia, they became popular after the 17th century. And the budgerigar, which appeared in the 19th century, has become a favorite pet all over the world.

Parrots in a modern house

And now, parrots live in many houses as a pet. Their bright plumage, the ability to imitate the human voice and their peculiar character have long attracted the attention of man. Parrots are one of the most intelligent and sociable birds. Since ancient times, natural sociability has pushed them to contact with a person.

Those who are at least a little versed in ornithology often seek to get a boy parrot. Lonely the male imitates sounds better, learns to speak faster and shows talents in singing.

What is the name of a boy parrot?

The name of a pet is always a short description of it. Watch your pet for a while. How friendly he is, what temperament he has, what color his coat is. The main thing, so that the boy’s name is not long and easy to memorize your parrot.

It is also advisable to exclude the names of all your acquaintances from possible nicknames. If you plan to teach your pet to speak, it is best to avoid confusion with names.

Preference should be given to short and sonorous names with the presence of hissing sounds and the letter “p”:

• Larry;
• Kesha;
• Gosh;
• Yasha.

Do not forget to consider the appearance of the bird. A majestic and noble bird, such as a cockatiel, should be named accordingly:

• Caesar;
• France;
• Diego;
• Baron;
• Marquis.

Can be repelled by the color of feathers:

• Lemon;
• Snowball;
• White;
• Black;
• Kivik.

If you have a non-speaking bird or you do not plan to train it, you can call it whatever you like, choosing even a long and complex name. Even if it seems to you that you have chosen the perfect name, remember that this does not mean any progress. You need to start training with a bird when it completely trusts you. Every day sanimate for at least 30 minutes, observing a certain selected time. So the bird will be able to speak in a week. Some birds are able to learn 1000 words! But for this you need to try very hard and pay maximum attention to your pet.