We have several species of parrots, large and small, but the Bourke's are the only ones we breed. All of our parrots are flighted, and we clip our Bourke's on the day of delivery if the new owner wishes that they be clipped. They are masters of flight before they go to their new homes. Be sure to check the blog above to catch the latest news on babies, along with photos and stories of their hatchdates and development.

My profession is photography and film production. In 2007 I produced a DVD that demonstrates how you can teach your parrot various behavior with positive reinforcement techniques, featuring avian veterinarian Dr. Ellen K. Cook. Watch the trailer for this DVD, Happily Ever After with Parrots ... A Learning Game!

Feeding the Babies

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DVD Info & Video Trailer

About Bourke's Parakeets

by Shirley Morgan

Bourke's Parakeets are from Australia and eat on the ground in the grasslands in large flocks. They are about 7-1/2 inches long, tail included. Our Bourke's diet includes a parakeet seed mix, small parakeet-size Zupreem brand natural pellets, and fresh chopped veggies 2-3 times each week. I provide unsalted raw frozen (thawed) corn and peas, and fresh grated broccoli and carrots. Millet sprays are also enjoyed. Added Vitamins are not necessary, and especially should not be given if they are eating pellets. They must have a cuttle bone attached to their cage bars all the time. These are available in bird and pet shops. The cuttle bone provides calcium and helps keep their beaks in good condition. They enjoy taking a bath once in awhile in a plastic cockatiel-size bird bath attached to the cage door, or a large water dish placed on the floor of their cage. Fresh water must be provided every day. Bourke's seldom if ever need their nails trimmed, and never need their beaks trimmed. Only a qualified avian veterinarian should attend to a bird's beak.

Bourke's rarely, if ever, bite. A tame Bourke's will not bite, but may nibble or taste curiously and affectionately. They are easily tamed if they are not already tame when purchased. I have found them to be a wonderful bird for children who love birds, because they are not aggressive, they are naturally sweet and calm, and they really enjoy time with their owners to sit with them or fly around the room once in a while. They don't require personal attention out of their cages on a daily basis. They also don't need a companion bird, and if you have two, they are still just as tame and friendly toward their human friends. They do not snuggle, groom, or interact much at all with a companion Bourke's. Bourke's of same sex or opposite sex get along together just fine. If you don't wish to raise a family, then don't provide a nest box, and discard eggs that may be laid. Your pet Bourke's will still be your pet, even if you have two together in a cage. A pair should not be housed together under the age of a year.

Kilroy, our first Bourke's, was hand-raised and only 8 wks old when we got her four years ago. She bonded to my husband, Steve, immediately and lives in our bedroom. He opens her cage door every night and she flies to him and eats seed on a towel in his lap, then sits on his shoulder and chirps and picks at his hair and face while we watch the news. Then she goes to bed in her covered cage. She repeats this ritual on Sat/Sun mornings while we read the paper. She comes over to say hello to me and then goes back to Steve. She is fully flighted and has been most of the time we've had her. If there is the slightest possibility of an open door or window while your birds are out, then their wings should be clipped so they cannot fly away. Once a pet bird is outside flying, it becomes scared and disoriented so quickly that it is rare that it will find its way back home.

Bourke's don't care much for cuddling, although they will give you kisses and pick at your hair and face. Sometimes Kilroy likes to have her back rubbed. They do like to sit with you or ride around on your shoulder with you. Males and females are equally affectionate with their human friends, and make equally well-bonded pets.

Bourke's play with toys, but not in the same manner that cockatiels and budgies do. They do enjoy shredding paper and picking at toys made with straw, such as little straw hats. They enjoy picking at things such as short (safe) stringy preening objects sold in bird shops as "preening toys". Be sure the stringy parts are stiff bristles so they cannot get their feet tangled. They enjoy having a swing in their cages, and often enjoy having bells to ring. They chirp the most in the mornings and late evenings. They imitate some of your speech with their chirping, but they rarely learn to talk. A friend of mine has three males, and they all talk! They say several words to her on a regular basis, but ours haven't talked. They have, however, imitated some spoken phrases by "whistling" them in the same tone of voice in which they hear us say them. A wide cage is most appropriate rather than a tall cage. Bourke's are not climbers like regular budgies (parakeets) are. They fly or hop back and forth from perch to perch and usually don't climb cage bars, although they will climb wood ladders.

Cautions: Non-stick coatings: PTFE ~ Polytetrafluoroethylene
Bourke's (all birds, for that matter) do not tolerate cigarette smoke in the home. It is extremely dangerous for their lungs and respiratory system. Candles can be fatal - the scent and oils of the candles are toxic to birds. Also, non-stick cookware such as Teflon and other brands is extremely dangerous to use at high temperatures (375+ degrees) even when the birds are in rooms far away from the kitchen. It is *highly recommended* that non-stick cookware not be used at all, or, if you insist on keeping your non-stick cookware, then please be very vigilant that it never get so hot that the pan is burning or smoking. Humans cannot smell the gaseous fumes that are emitted, but these chemical changes to the surface of the non-stick pans can and will kill your birds before you realize they are affected by the fumes. There are several Websites that explain this scientifically for you. PTFE is the abbreviation for the chemical you would search for used in the non-stick surface: Polytetrafluoroethylene. This chemical composition is also used in toaster ovens, self-cleaning ovens, and some hair dryers, so just be careful and use common sense. The first couple of times you run your toaster oven and self-cleaning oven (the break-in time), take your birds out of the home for a few hours during and afterward.

© Shirley Morgan - The article above may be copied only if cited as follows: Morgan, Shirley J. (2004) Shirley Morgan's Bourke's Parakeets, About Bourke's Parakeets, Article retrieved [insert date retrieved] from http://www.shirleymorgan.com/bourkes/