Whether you have a pet parakeet or are just interested in birds, the sounds they make can be fascinating. In fact, whenever I hear a bird making noises, I wonder what all of the various sounds are about. But what do the different types of parakeet sounds actually mean? Here’s a list of sounds and their meanings.
Sometimes you’ll hear budgies chattering away, seemingly to themselves
Parakeets may chatter while they look in the mirror or they can make this sound to other parakeets. As a parakeet chatters, he may appear contemplative or observant of nothing in particular. You can tell your bird’s positive if his feathers are puffed up and he’s chattering. Besides this, the males can try to get the attention of the females by chattering to them.
Beak grinding may sound rough, but this behavior is positive
Initially, when I used to hear beak grinding at pet stores, I thought the birds that were doing this might have had something wrong with them. But I assure you when a parakeet grinds its beak, it feels gratified and positive. After a bit of beak grinding, you may even notice your bird nodding off to sleep.
You may notice a parakeet starts whistling because it’s bored
Parakeets will whistle when they’re happy or in high spirits. And if you put on some fun music, this can inspire them to start whistling. You can teach your bird to whistle quite easily or he might just learn on his own without any help. Whistling can be a great way for him to pass the time when bored or to entertain himself. But if you’d like to teach him to talk, it can be easier to do so if you start with that first. Otherwise, he might not want to talk if whistling is a lot easier!
Your bird can express himself with the most cheerful of chirps
Hearing a parakeet chirp happily can be absolutely delightful. Not only this, but an optimistic pet can go on chirping for an entire day. This behavior comes from how parakeets in the wild give reassurance to each other that life is good. These cheery chirps can put you in a positive mood all day long too!
Parakeets can sing a pleasant song to you or to each other
Your bird may sing to you or his budgie friends because he’s content or even if he’s feeling safe. He can sing by making parakeet sounds such as whistles, chirrups, and chirps. This stream of noises translates into a song. In my opinion, watching a parakeet sing is one of the most adorable things I’ve ever seen. These birds are extremely sweet and they simply seem to love the sounds of their own voices and expressing their happiness to the world around them. I think this quote perfectly explains the beauty of a bird’s song:
“A bird does not sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.” – Maya Angelou
And I love how this saying compares a bird’s song to a work of art:
“I would like to paint the way a bird sings.” – Claude Monet
Similar to humans, parakeets can talk too
If you hear your parakeet start talking, he’s likely trying to get your attention and this also shows he’s been paying attention to you. You can begin teaching your bird how to talk by repeating words. It’s easier to get a male parakeet to talk than a female. Remember, they mimic the sounds they hear so you might even need to be careful of what you say when you’re around them!
Chiding can be a signal that budgies want more space for themselves
Just like humans, parakeets need to establish healthy boundaries. For this reason, they use chiding to warn the parakeets around them to stay away and avoid fighting. The other budgies will back off if they hear a sharp ‘tsk!’ sound. If you have more than one bird, you may need to separate them. But if your parakeet directs the sharp ‘tsk!’ sound at you, he may be trying to tell you he’d like you to leave him alone for a while or make it clear you’re handling him in a way that’s uncomfortable for him.
Discontented chirps may not be as alarming as squawks or screams, but you might still feel concerned
Your bird may use chirps of discontent to communicate to you that he needs more food or water. He may even see something that excites him, such as a bird outside the window. Alternatively, the parakeet may want you or the other parakeets to reassure him. Moreover, he could want your attention. Therefore, discontented chirps shouldn’t normally be a cause for concern.
If something doesn’t seem quite right, budgies can squawk
Whether your bird is frustrated because he needs someone to fill his food bowl or he has a sneaky feeling that a predator’s around, he might start making parakeet sounds such as squawking. Another problem could be if your parakeet is a female that feels like mating and this makes her feel like squawking. Try talking to your pet in a soothing voice so he knows you’re giving his problem the attention it deserves. I think birds also probably squawk because they experience what this quote says:
“The early bird gets the worm but the late bird doesn’t even get the late worm.” – Charles M. Schulz
Of course, the last thing anyone wants is to be the late bird that misses the late worm! I’m guessing Mr. Schulz meant the late bird couldn’t even get the late worm because the late worm was either still sleeping or it would have already escaped to a better place. Anyone, budgie or human, would be seriously irritated by this scenario. Here’s another quote:
“A bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because her trust is not on the branch but on her own wings.” – Anonymous
And if you don’t have wings and the branch breaks, what do you do? You fall down.
Screaming can be a sign of fear, discomfort, pain, or distress, but not always
Hearing a scream coming from your beloved parakeet can be one of the most alarming parakeet sounds, to say the least. Screams can mean he’s experiencing pain or another feeling he doesn’t like. While some parakeets will make this sound to experiment with it, when you hear screams, it’s important to check to see what might be wrong.
Your bird can use contact calls to find his friends or you
If you’ve had moments where you couldn’t find your friend or family member, then you might understand how parakeets feel when they use parakeet sounds like contact calls. These birds have evolved to use these calls to find other flock members when they’re apart in the wild. They may even make contact calls when you leave the room. But if your bird uses contact calls excessively, you might want to purchase or adopt a parakeet friend for him because this can be a sign of loneliness. But if you’d rather not get another parakeet, you can try spending more time with your lovable bird. This quote reminds me to have more empathy for our feathered friends and to keep dreaming:
“A heart without dreams is like a bird without feathers.” – Suzy Kassem
Does my pet budgie recognize who I am?
After spending time with you for months or years, parakeets can recognize you and get to know you.
What kind of music do parakeets like?
Similar to many types of birds, parakeets take pleasure in listening to music that’s quiet, peaceful, and serene. This could be New Age or soft classical music, among others.
Why would a parakeet nibble on me?
Parakeets can nibble to show trust or affection, out of curiosity, or just to be playful. But if the nibbling is negative, your bird may be feeling frustration, boredom, fear, territorial issues, or distrust. If you keep allowing him to nibble on you, he may even bite!
What are some signs of affection in a parakeet?
A parakeet is more likely to be affectionate if socialized when young. These birds can be very affectionate and they show this by pecking at an ear or hair or chirping at the owner.
In a nutshell, I think it’s clear that parakeet sounds are often distinct from each other and highly expressive. Plus, these unique sounds can tell you a lot about how parakeets feel at the moment. The more you understand your budgie, the easier it can be to gain his trust and affection.