English keets, and american keets....

[Golden Ghost]

Whats the difference between american, and English parakeets?

:budge:

Thanks,
GG

[Wonderbird]

English budgies are much larger than pet budgies. Also known as show budgies or exhibition budgerigars. American budgies are pet budgies although I do not know why they call them american budgies. There are many exhibition budgerigar breeders in the united states. Here's a sight that has photos of english budgies (http://www.englishbudgie.com/). And I suppose you know what a pet budgie looks like! :)

[Golden Ghost]

ahh.... I see, the english budgie's are more "fancy" looking, and bigger.

Thanks,
GG

[Wonderbird]

All budgies originated from the wild green budgie type in Australia. They were brought into the UK and bred to be the Exhibition budgies they are today. :)

[Golden Ghost]

Interesting!!

[Budgietom]

What I don't get is why they are called English and American. I reckon one type should be called Australian budgies, but I suppose they all are. I am a bit biest cause I am Australian,

[Wonderbird]

All budgies are Australian budgies. This is the first time I have heard pet budgies as American budgies, then there are the Exhibition budgies or show budgies. In the UK they do not call them English Budgies from what I understand. It is just in the USA or elsewhere.

I just love wild budgies in Australia! Phillip you've got to get some photos of the wild budgies! They are so precious!

[Anjie]

Nope we don't call them english Budgies...:) when i asked the man in the bird shop i go to (too often :rolleyes: ) I asked if blue was an english and he looked at me strange and said they are all english...he he...

[Golden Ghost]

Nope we don't call them english Budgies...:) when i asked the man in the bird shop i go to (too often :rolleyes: ) I asked if blue was an english and he looked at me strange and said they are all english...he he...

lol.........

[ETAHoffman]

One very obvious difference is the size of the bird and the shape of the head. The English budgie can be up to about 30% larger than an American one. The American budgie's head is more rounded where the English one's head is more "boxey" or squared off. It boils down to personal preference for pets but I've never seen an American budgie in a show.

Supposedly the Americans breed more easily than the English but I've never had a problem breeding the English. There also seems to be more variation in color in the American ones. That is just my observation, however.

English birds are quite a bit more expensive than the American ones. I remember a few years back, I went to a bird show and bought some nice English birds from a breeder for only $10.00 each. The won a couple of ribbons at the show and, as a result, he was charging $300.00 per bird the next year. Rediculious!

I have basic colors in English and cross breed them with the colorful Americans and eventually build up the size. I love 'em all!

[Kerry C]

What I don't get is why they are called English and American. I reckon one type should be called Australian budgies, but I suppose they all are. I am a bit biest cause I am Australian,

They are called English Budgies because when the English were exploring Australia they collected a lot of these birds to bring back home. They were originally called "lovebirds" because it seems they are always "kissing" each other.

With over 200 years of controlled/selective breeding these birds have reached a larger sized and stylized look.

Why are they called American budgies, it's just a euphemism. In other places they are called Wild type, bush bred, pet stock budgies.

[nev90]

I don't think that anyone outside the USA would call them American budgies. Here they are generally referred to as normal budgies. The exhibition budgies are often called English budgies because the birds were selectively bred to increase the size in England. Of course they are all really Australian budgies

[ravengypsy]

Show/Exhibition Budgies are often referred to as "English" here in the US and Pet/Wild Budgies are often called "American" or "Australian". They are all the same bird in reality only the show ones are selectively bred and over 100 years have increased dramatically in size (currently they are about 2 times the size of the pet variety), although they often have other show features such as larger heads/shoulders, standing upright more (deportment), bigger/more spots, longer mask (feathers at the bottom of the beak)... etc.

As mentioned in another thread here are some comparison photos...

[Wonderbird]

Nice post Ravengypsy! I especially like the comparison of the wild type colors of them both. :)