Bourke’s Parakeet Care Sheet

Bourke's parakeets are an excellent introductory bird for those new to hookbills or parrots; they have a calm demeanour and can entertain themselves. They are quiet birds that are suited for individual cages or small aviaries, where they are excellent partners for finches and cockatiels as well as other Bourke's parakeets. Keep gentle Bourke's parakeets away from larger, aggressive birds. As adults they can grow to 7/8 inches, and they may live as long as 25 years.

Origin and History

Bourke's parakeet is a nomadic species native to Australia. Their habitat spans much of the continent including Queensland; New South Wales; and central, southern, and western Australia. Their principal habitat is the dry plains, but they also live in native cypress and eucalyptus woodlands. Wild birds also live in urban areas.

These birds are named for Sir Richard Bourke, the governor of Australia's New South Wales territory from 1831 to 1837. It was initially classified as part of the Neophema genus but was assigned to the Neopsephotus genus in the 1990s.

Successful captive breeding programs have made Bourke's parakeets popular pets in homes all over the world. This species is not threatened; wild populations seem to be growing.

Diet and Needs

A Bourke's parakeet needs a balanced meal every day. This bird will eat up to a tablespoon of small parrot seed mix meant for budgies and birds of similar size and a variety of fresh vegetables and fruits. black oil sunflower, sprouted seeds and a variety of fresh fruit and dark leafy vegetables. Apples, bananas, and carrots have proved to be these birds’ favourite foods. (Caution: avocado is toxic for birds). Given a choice, they’d eat nothing but Spray Millet, so this food must be given only sparingly.

For added nutrition and vitamins, grit, small oyster shell mixed with crushed egg shells can be added to food.

Full-spectrum lighting is vital for a captive bird's health. Most pet birds originate from the tropics, where days are long and natural light is readily available. Being from Australia in the wild, the natural UV light is in abundance. Your bird can develop health problems if they do not have adequate exposure to full-spectrum light each day. You can supplement this need artificially if your environment does not provide enough natural light. The use of full spectrum (UV) light means that they will also get the vitamin D that they need.

Additionally, UV light improves your bird’s psychological health. It can help towards stopping destructive behaviours like feather plucking and it improves appetite, feather condition and overall health. Even if your bird's cage is in front of a window, it may not provide enough full-spectrum light to meet their needs. Most window glass filters out UV rays. Provide additional full-spectrum light by using a light that provides both UV and UVA rays.

Housing

The cage for a Bourke Parakeet should provide it with room enough to spread its wings. A minimum size of 36” long, by 24” wide, by 24” high is recommended, with spacing between the bars being no more than 3/8” wide. Bourke’s Parakeets do not climb like other parakeets and in this case, more space is more desirable for these birds. Length is always more important than height, because it gives the bird more room to exercise its wings. Bourke's parakeets are less active than most other parakeets but still need between 2 to 3 hours outside of the cage daily in a supervised play area. Aviaries for flight should be at least two metres square. Birds should be kept between 18 and 25 degrees Celsius.

Exercise

Bourke’s Parakeets will enjoy having their cage placed in an area where there is family activity. However, in order to not get overwhelmed, the cage should also offer enough privacy to provide the bird with a sense of security. The cage should be positioned in an area that has a wall on one or two sides of the cage. Do not place your bird where there is a lot of night tie activity such as television noise or music, if needed, a cage on wheels will suffice as it can be moved to a more secluded area of the house. It is important that the bird be provided with at least 10-12 hours of quiet undisturbed sleep time each night. The cage can be covered at night. The cage should also never be placed in direct sunlight or draft. They should have at least two or three perches with different diameters in their cage. A perch should be placed in front of, but not above, food and water dishes.

Maintenance

Your bird will need at least one full clean out once a week to ensure that it is clean, dry and disinfected.

A metal grate over the droppings tray is needed to keep the bird away from droppings, line the droppings tray with paper or other materials for easy cleaning. Clean water must always be available for drinking and bathing. As well as any empty shells in food bowls must be taken out and replaced with fresh food.

Enrichment

Your bird should have daily access to a shallow bowl of chlorine-free water for bathing. Water must be lukewarm to room temperature not too cold and always fresh and clean. Avoid drafts. Individual birds may also appreciate a misting of water. A Bourke’s cage should contain a good selection of appropriately sized toys and they tend to enjoy avian swings.

Common Health Problems

Like other parrot species, Bourke's parakeet can be prone to psittacosis, which can be spread between birds and humans. This bacterial disease causes respiratory problems; it is treatable with antibiotics. Several viruses can also strike parakeets, that can cause feather problems, diarrhoea, and pneumonia.

Parakeets are also prone to sinus congestion caused by the Aspergillus fungus; proper nutrition and hygiene will prevent this problem.

Several parasites can affect parakeets. Intestinal parasites may cause a bird to lose weight while external mites and lice will cause the bird to scratch and lose feathers.

Keep a watchful eye out for any strange behaviours or changes in appetite, and if any changes are noticed, do not hesitate to contact a vet.

Temperament

Bourke's parakeets are very friendly, gentle, and calm birds in terms of character. This is reflected in their singing, which is very tranquil. They become slightly more active at sunrise and at dusk. Since they can occupy themselves very well, they don't need a great deal of entertainment, but they do not generally enjoy handling, and it may take lots of trust and patience for them to build a bond. However, with that said, with a routine of feeding it is not uncommon for them to come and eat out of your hand.

You should not keep them alone and two females may fight so either keep a group, a male and female pair or two males together. If you have enough space, you can even socialise them with other birds. In general, Bourke's parrots tolerate other species well. Make sure the dimensions of the cage and conditions are right for whatever species you choose to house them with.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE: When housing a group of birds, it is important for them to have more than one Feed bowl and water bowl. Birds may get territorial and fight if there is not enough food or space for them to get to the food.

Difference between Male and Female?

Males have a blue forehead whereas females have either none or very little. Females have smaller heads and beaks Males generally tend to be larger.