How to Tell the Age of a Parakeet (Budgie): A Step-by-Step Guide

PDF download Download Article
Determine how old your budgie is with these methods
PDF download Download Article

Budgies, or common parakeets, don’t show obvious signs of aging the way mammals do, so it can sometimes be tricky to figure out exactly how old your bird is. Luckily, there are several tricks if you know what to look for. We interviewed ornithologist Roger J. Lederer to teach you all the best methods for determining the age of a budgie, including examining their cap feathers, eyes, and beaks, as well as their identification bands and breeding history. Plus, learn the average lifespan of domesticated budgies.

How can I tell how old my parakeet is?

Examine the budgie’s cap feathers. Budgies under 3-4 months old have stripes that extend down to the upper beak, while older budgies lose their stripes. Budgies under 4 months old also have completely black eyes, while adolescents have dark gray irises, and birds over 8 months have light gray or brown eyes.

Section 1 of 4:

Examining a Budgie’s Cap Feathers

PDF download Download Article
  1. Young budgies have stripes or bars on the cap of their head that stretch all the way down to the base of the upper beak. According to Lederer, if a budgie is less than 3 or 4 months old, “they’ll normally have a completely stripey head.” [1]
    • The base of the upper beak is known as the cere.
    • A budgie with stripes stretching down to its cere has not experienced its first molt, when it loses the striped feathers on its head.
  2. When a budgie is 3-4 months old, it will molt and lose its striped head feathers. Lederer explains, “As [budgies get] older, the stripes on their face and forehead are replaced with plain patches of color or pure white.” [2] Your parakeet will have a cap of yellow or white feathers depending on its variety.
    • If the budgie has no stripes on its head, it has experienced its first molt and is more than 3-4 months of age.
    Advertisement
  3. While an examination of the budgie’s head feathers is a good indicator of age for most birds, there are some exceptions to the rule. There are several varieties of budgies whose age cannot be identified through their head feathers. If you have a lutino, albino, or recessive pied budgie, you will need to use other methods to identify the bird’s age. [3]
    4. Advertisement
Section 2 of 4:

Looking at a Budgie’s Eyes and Beak

PDF download Download Article
  1. Baby budgies that are less than 12 weeks old will often have excess pigment or melanin in the beak and cere. This will often result in a beak that appears black or darker than an older bird. [4]
    • The excess pigment in the beaks of baby budgies is absorbed as they age, resulting in the development of a normal beak color of pink, light brown, blue, or violet.
  2. According to Lederer, “In budgies under 4 months old, the entire eye will be black.” [5] Baby parakeets have not developed an iris, or the ring of color that surrounds the black pupil. If there is no color in your bird’s eye, it is 4 months or younger.
  3. “Between 4 and 8 or 9 months, the iris will be a little paler,” explains Lederer. [6] As a budgie ages, its irises will develop accordingly. While a baby budgie has no iris, an adolescent parakeet will have dark irises, usually a deep shade of gray.
    • Try to examine your budgie’s eyes in natural sunlight if possible. For example, try opening the curtains or blinds near the budgie’s cage.
  4. “Very pale irises usually indicate a bird who has reached the grand old age of at least 8 months,” Lederer says. [7] As budgies mature, their irises continue to develop and lighten. If a parakeet has a light gray or brown iris, it is probably older than 8-12 months.
    • This method won’t work for recessive pied or dark-eyed clear budgies, as these varieties never get iris rings. [8]
    5. Advertisement
Section 3 of 4:

Using a Budgie's ID Band or Breeding History

PDF download Download Article
  1. Many budgies have a leg band that can help identify the bird’s origin and age. [9] For many bands, the birth year of the bird is indicated in the third set of numbers on the band. If the band is blank, it will not give you specific details about the bird’s age or background.
    • The first set of letters will usually identify the company that issued the bird band.
    • The second set of letters and numbers identifies the breeder.
    • The third set of numbers will identify the year the bird was born, usually in two digits.
    • The fourth set of numbers will tell you the pedigree number of the bird.
  2. If your budgie’s band was issued by the American Budgerigar Society, the most widely recognized organization issuing budgie ID bands, you can tell the bird’s age by the color of the band. Other organizations, however, may use different colors for different years. [10]
    • Visit the American Budgerigar Society’s website to match your bird’s identification band color to its birth year.
    • Keep in mind that certain colors can denote multiple budgie birth years. For example, a budgie with a black identification band was born in 2013 or 2019. A bird with a red identification band was born in 2018 or 2012, and budgies with orange bands were born in 2016 or 2010.
  3. If you are having trouble figuring out how old your budgie is, try asking the person who gave or sold you the bird. Ask them exactly how old the bird is and if they have any documentation that can verify the bird’s age. Breeders and pet stores often keep documentation on the birds they sell that may help you determine the age of your budgie.
    • Be aware that some people may say a bird is younger than it is, as younger budgies are typically more valuable than their older counterparts.
    • If a parakeet came from an aviary setting, it may appear older than it actually is. Birds that come from breeders often look older than if they were raised alone or with only a few other budgies.
    4. Advertisement
Section 4 of 4:

How long do budgies live?

PDF download Download Article
  1. Budgies typically live between 7-15 years in captivity. Budgies, or the common parakeet, can live anywhere from 7 to 15 years in captivity. This is almost twice the lifespan of wild parakeets, who typically live between 4-6 years due to predators. Your budgie’s life expectancy depends on its nutrition and overall health. To care for your budgie , give them plenty of space in their cage, feed them the appropriate pellets and seeds, and schedule yearly checkups at the vet. [11]

Community Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    My bird is one year old, but he looks like a baby bird. His eyes are totally black. Why?
    Community Answer
    From afar, your budgie may have black eyes, but if you look closely, you can see the faint outline of a pupil. My own budgies have very hard to see pupils, and it looks like their eyes are pitch black.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 48 Helpful 162
  • Question
    Why do budgies have black bars down to their cere before their first molt?
    Community Answer
    If a budgie has bars down to her cere, it signifies that she is under 4 months old, meaning she is still a young budgie.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 85 Helpful 101
  • Question
    How do I tell when a budgie egg is going to hatch?
    Community Answer
    It can take 17 to 23 days to hatch, so just count up from the day it was laid and be prepared for it to happen anywhere between those 17-23 days.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 32 Helpful 95
See more answers
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      Video

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Tell If a Budgie Is Male or Female
      How to
      Breed Budgies
      How to
      Tell if Your Pet Budgie is Sick (Plus, How to Care for It)
      How to
      Treat Diarrhea in Parakeets
      How to
      Tame Your Budgies
      How to
      Tell if Your Pet Parakeet is Bonding with You
      Feeding Baby Budgies: Step-by-Step Guide
      How to
      Take Care of a Budgie
      How to
      Tell when a Parakeet Is Sick
      How to
      Teach Your Parakeet to Love You
      How to
      Train Your Budgie
      Getting Rid of Budgie Mites: Care, Symptoms & More
      How to
      Keep a Parakeet Safe Out of Its Cage
      How to
      Give Your Budgie a Bath
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ Roger J. Lederer, PhD. Ornithologist. Expert Interview. 29 April 2021.
      2. ↑ Roger J. Lederer, PhD. Ornithologist. Expert Interview. 29 April 2021.
      3. ↑ https://www.thebudgieacademy.com/color-mutations/
      4. ↑ https://www.thebudgieacademy.com/how-old/
      5. ↑ Roger J. Lederer, PhD. Ornithologist. Expert Interview. 29 April 2021.
      6. ↑ Roger J. Lederer, PhD. Ornithologist. Expert Interview. 29 April 2021.
      7. ↑ Roger J. Lederer, PhD. Ornithologist. Expert Interview. 29 April 2021.
      8. ↑ https://www.thebudgieacademy.com/how-old/
      9. ↑ https://www.thebudgieacademy.com/how-old/
      1. ↑ https://abs1.org/orderbands/
      2. ↑ https://www.petmd.com/bird/how-long-do-parakeets-live

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      It’s possible to tell the age of your budgie based on the feathers on top of its head. If there are stripes that extend down to the base of its beak, this means that the budgie is under 3 months old. However, if the stripes stop before the base of its beak and instead the feather are yellow or white, then this indicates that the budgie is 3 to 4 months old. Birds that have no striped cap feathers tend to be over 4 months old unless they are a rare breed. You can also tell the age of your budgie by the color of its eyes. Budgies under 5 months old tend to have entirely black eyes with no iris rings, whereas budgies that are 4 to 8 months old often have dark grey irises. Budgies that are over 8 to 12 months usually have light grey or light brown irises. For more tips on telling the age of a budgie, like how to use a leg identification band, read on.

      Did this summary help you?
      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 309,196 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Anonymous

        Aug 7, 2023

        "This article is packed with information. If you are trying to find out the age of your bird, then this article will ..." more
      More reader stories Hide reader stories
      Share your story

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement