Are budgies sensitive to noise?

The budgie is one of the most popular species of birds that we keep in our homes.

However, despite their small and delicate stature, our feathered friends can make very loud sounds, which is not always pleasant for us as their keepers, for example, when we ourselves would like to watch TV or take some time out on the sofa.

But how is the budgie with loud noises, to which it is exposed by the TV, the radio or other outside noises -are they also sensitive to noise?

In this article we clarify exactly this question and provide you with some additional tips on how you can ensure a restful sleep for you and your budgie.

The sense of hearing of budgies

The sense of hearing is one of the most important senses of budgies and covers a frequency range from 40 to 20,000 hertz. The human sense of hearing in comparison can perceive sounds in the frequency range of 20 to 16,000 hertz.

Due to their less pronounced sense of sight, they need their hearing especially at night for orientation and to locate possible enemies in time. The anatomical characteristics of budgies therefore tend to indicate a sensitivity to noise, which is also reflected in their behavior as flight animals.

However, the intensity of sensitivity can vary from animal to animal and may also vary depending on the noise.

How sensitive your budgie is, you can only find out by trial and error. You should be careful not to put your pet under unnecessary stress, so as not to increase the risk of injury or illness.

In order to understand your budgie’s reaction, you should always distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar noises and not ignore the volume.

Familiar sounds will tend to motivate your budgie to join in a tune rather than an unfamiliar sound, which is more likely to cause them to fall silent or even become frightened.

Furthermore, you should avoid exposing your pet to constant high volume, as this will not only damage their sense of hearing, but also cause them to become permanently restless. However, what all budgies have in common is that they have a higher need for rest in certain situations such as sleeping or illness.

But how do budgies actually sleep?

The sleeping habits of budgies

In terms of sleeping habits, budgies in our latitudes still have the same conditions as their Australian relatives, which still occur in the wild.

This includes on the one hand a sleeping time of at least ten hours per night and on the other hand that their sleeping place is located in a dark and quiet place as possible.

The aforementioned points are of elementary importance for the health of your budgie, as a permanently disturbed night’s rest leads to a higher stress level and thus to a higher susceptibility to diseases of all kinds.

In addition, birds, similar to us humans, process at night what they have experienced during the day. In this process, you may notice different sounds or movements from your budgies, but this is completely normal.

Some budgies produce a kind of snoring sound during sleep. This is caused by the movement of the beak analogous to the grinding of teeth in us humans. In principle, the rubbing together of the beak halves is not harmful, but should be discussed with an expert veterinarian in case of excessive occurrence in connection with other problems, for example when eating.

But how do I set up the ideal sleeping place for my budgie so that he can enjoy a restful sleep?
The ideal sleeping place for budgies

As previously mentioned, the budgie is not a nocturnal animal and has some requirements for its sleeping place.

Often the cages or aviaries are located in our busy living rooms.

Although this has the advantage during the day that we are in constant contact with our feathered friends, on the other hand, we disturb their important night’s rest by long television or other activities.

It is therefore advisable to keep the birds in a separate room or to choose a room that is used less, especially in the evening hours.

The second important point concerns the brightness in the premises. Both the winter months, when we compensate for the lack of outdoor brightness with artificial lighting, and the summer months, with their often long bright evenings, disturb the sleep of our budgies.

Besides the avoidance of switched on light sources in the direct vicinity of the cage, the closing of windows by blinds or shutters, also light blankets, which are hung over the enclosure, have established themselves.

Here, however, you should make sure that the room is not completely darkened. Due to their poor sense of sight, your birds may suffer from night panic, which can cause them to seriously injure themselves on the enclosure.

In practice, therefore, weak night lights that do not flicker or flicker have proven themselves, as this additionally excites the animals.

If you are considering covering the cage of your budgies with a blanket, make sure it is a light version that still allows for optimal airflow. A complete covering of the cage is in most cases not even necessary and provides rather for unrest in your bird flock.

In addition to the external conditions, which are essential for a good night’s sleep, the equipment of the aviary also plays a role that should not be underestimated. Due to their nature, budgies prefer a sleeping place that is located as high as possible. In addition, each bird should have its own roost, which should consist of either a swing or a perch. Despite their high sociability, your budgies will appreciate having their own retreat at night and not having to share it with other conspecifics.
The summary for you and your budgie

Despite the fact that each budgie is individual in its sensitivity to noise and sound, you should ensure sufficient quiet in and around the cage both during the day, but also at night.

The top priority should always be the specifics of your bird or birds, basing this on their evolutionary habits of their species.