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Parakeets are popular pets not only for their beautiful colors but also because they typically love to interact with their owners. Having a pet parakeet can be very rewarding, and considering that some parakeets can live into their teenage years, also quite a commitment. While not as long-lived as other parrot species, you’ll likely, from time to time, wonder just how old your parakeet is, especially if you got them as an adult. Before we get into how to tell the age of a parakeet, we’ll need to make a few disclaimers first.
To begin with, there are many different species in the parakeet grouping, so to ease the confusion, this article is going to focus on Budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus). Budgies are one of the more common parakeet species admired as pets, but if you happen to have a different parakeet species, the methods may still transfer, otherwise ask your avian veterinarian for advice.
Secondly, it’s important to know that adult parakeets simply can’t be aged by looking at them since they don’t age in the way that our other pets, or even we, do. While you can use these methods to age juveniles, once a parakeet reaches adulthood, all bets are off. Instead, you’ll need to rely on age records or the bird’s leg band.
Just a little plug here, if adopting a parrot, parakeet, or otherwise, make sure they have some form of age records or leg band to ensure that they came from a breeder rather than the wild. Many parrot species are actually endangered in the wild, and adopting one of these birds would be encouraging unethical practices.
Ok, now that that’s said, let’s get to how to age a parakeet.
The 3 Ways to Tell the Age of Your Parakeet
Again, this information is for juvenile Budgies, so speak to your vet if you have a different parakeet species. Also, these methods may not work for all colors of Budgies.
1. Leg Band or Age Records
It’s worth a second mention because leg bands or age records are the only surefire ways of determining how old a Budgie is—juvenile or adult. The color of the leg band should correspond to the year the Budgie was hatched if the breeder followed the American Budgerigar Society’s standard format. This won’t give you the age of your bird in months but can definitely pin down a year for adult parakeets.
If your Budgie doesn’t have a leg band, contact the breeder, if known, or the previous owner for more information.
2. Eyes
A baby Budgie will open their eyes 8-10 days after hatching. Their eyes will be black until they’re about four months old. From around 6-8 months old, the iris becomes visible as a light-colored ring around the black pupil, and by the time they are 8-9 months old, it is a solid white ring.
3. Cere
The cere is the pigmented part at the top of the beak, housing the nostrils. In juvenile budgies, the cere starts as a pale pink when they are born, and becomes pale purple (males) and white (females) within a few weeks. As they reach sexual maturity (from 6 months onwards), the cere of the male is a more pronounced blue, while the female is pinky-brown in color, darkening when she is broody.
4. Feathers
Budgies will have all their adult feathers by the time they are 4-5 weeks old, but the wing and tail feathers become more robust after the first molt (~ 4 months). The long flight feathers of the wings and tail will be around ¾ to ⅔ their adult length at 4-5 weeks, and reach their maximum length by the time they are 12 months old.
5. Forehead Bars
A Budgie under four months old will have small black stripes extending from above the cere, all the way to the shoulders. After they go through their first molt at around four months old, the black bars recede, leaving a patch of solid color from the cere to the top of the head.
Why Can’t Adult Parakeets Be Aged?
We’re all familiar with the signs of aging in mammals—graying hair, decreased mobility, and cloudy eyes, to name a few. However, parrots are a different feather altogether. These long-lived birds have developed ways to essentially slow the aging clock so that these changes don’t happen as they do in other animals. Adaptations to prevent oxidative tissue damage and even to generate neurons in the brain have allowed parrot species to go on seemingly “ageless” until their body reaches its endpoint. Rather than being a more gradual process with the signs that we’re used to, parakeets instead tend to rapidly decline prior to their death.
Is the Age of a Parakeet Important?
Knowing your bird’s age really doesn’t change anything, it’s just a number after all. But it can help you estimate the number of years you have left with your pet. The average lifespan of a pet parakeet is around 12-20 years, but this will depend on a number of factors such as genetics, health, nutrition, environment, and care.
Rather than focusing on the age of your Budgie, instead pay more attention to their nutrition, exercise, and social interactions to ensure that you are providing the best care possible. Also, be sure that regular veterinary care is part of the equation, as sometimes signs of illness may be interpreted as normal signs of aging.
In Conclusion
Once a parakeet reaches adulthood, it’s nearly impossible to tell how old they are based on looks alone. Instead, you’ll need to rely on age records or leg bands to determine how old your pet is. However, the age of juvenile Budgies may be estimated using these methods. If you have any questions about the age of your young Budgie or how to best ensure a long, healthy life, speak to your veterinarian.
Featured Image Credit: UniqSnaps, Shutterstock
