A gentle, soft-pink-bellied Australian grass parakeet known for its calm nature and crepuscular (dawn and dusk) activity. Quiet and peaceable, it is an excellent beginner and aviary bird.
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Grass parakeets (the Australian 'grass parrots,' including Neopsephotus, Neophema and relatives) are small, gentle, ground-foraging parakeets prized for their soft colors, quiet voices, and peaceable aviary temperament.
From the minimum an animal needs to be kept humanely, up to the ideal setup. Bigger is almost always better — minimums are floors, not targets.
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Minimum
Small-parakeet flight cage
30 × 18 × 24 in, ½ in bar spacing
Bourke's parakeets are quiet, gentle 8-in Australian grasskeets. A 30 × 18 × 24 in flight cage with ½ in bar spacing minimum, with millet, varied perches, and a shallow bath. Most active at dawn and dusk — give them a calm corner. Pair-bonded; better in pairs than solo.
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Recommended
Larger flight cage / small aviary
36 × 18 × 30 in flight cage, paired
A 36 × 18 × 30 in flight cage with multiple perches, foraging toys, and a daily bath dish, paired or in a small same-species group. Bourke's are peaceful and tolerate budgie or finch mixed-aviaries.
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Ideal
Walk-in mixed-species aviary
8 × 4 × 7 ft planted aviary
A walk-in planted aviary with branches, seed-foraging grass clumps, dust/bath stations, and dim corners for their crepuscular preference. Bourke's thrive in colony aviaries with finches, budgies, and other peaceful Australian parakeets.
Life & growth stages
How this animal changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.
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Egg
Birds develop inside a hard-shelled egg incubated by the parent(s). Egg size, shell color, and clutch size vary by species; the embryo develops over days to weeks before hatching.
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Hatchling / Chick
Hatchlings are either altricial — naked, blind, and dependent on parents (typical of parrots and songbirds) — or precocial — downy, mobile, and self-feeding soon after hatching (typical of poultry and waterfowl). Down gives way to the first feathers.
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Juvenile / Fledgling
Fledglings grow in their juvenile plumage and begin to fly and feed themselves, though they may still beg from parents at first. Juvenile feathering is often duller than the adult and is replaced as the bird matures.
Adult
Adults attain full body size and mature plumage, and are capable of breeding. Many species show distinct adult coloration, and in sexually dimorphic birds males and females differ in plumage, size, or markings.
(c) Jason van Weenen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) via iNaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/323803328
Color & pattern variants
Natural variants occur in the wild; selectively bred (man-made) variants were developed in captivity.
Bourke's parakeets are ground-and-shrub feeders that appreciate a roomy flight; provide at least a long cage or, ideally, an aviary of around 1.8-2.4 m so they can fly. Offer natural perches, seeding grasses, gentle foraging opportunities, and a shallow bath. They are peaceful and can often be kept with finches or other calm grass parakeets in a planted aviary.
They are reasonably hardy but, being arid-zone birds, dislike damp, cold, and drafts; outdoor aviaries in cool climates need a dry, frost-protected shelter. They are most active at dawn and dusk, so a quiet, low-stress setting suits them. No UVB is required indoors with a balanced diet, though natural light is beneficial.
Substrate
Line the cage floor with plain paper or fine, dust-extracted millet-free liner for easy cleaning, since these small parakeets spend time on the floor. Avoid sand sheets with grit additives and any moldy loose substrate. Paper makes it simple to monitor their droppings and seed-husk debris.
Equipment & setup
Provide a flight-style cage that is wide rather than tall, ideally at least 30 inches long, since Bourke's are gentle, ground-and-flight oriented birds that need horizontal room. Offer natural-wood and a few flat perches plus full-spectrum lighting on a 10-12 hour cycle; they tolerate normal room temperatures but should be protected from drafts and cold below about 50 F. A shallow bathing dish is appreciated.
Diet
Feed a base of a small-parakeet/grass-parakeet seed mix or formulated pellets, supplemented with seeding grasses, leafy greens, sprouted seed, and small amounts of vegetables and fruit. As natural ground foragers, they enjoy scatter-fed seed and millet sprays in moderation.
Provide cuttlebone or a mineral block for calcium and clean fresh water. Keep high-fat seeds limited to prevent obesity, and avoid avocado, chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, and salty foods.
Behavior & temperament
Bourke's parakeets are famously gentle, quiet, and unaggressive, making them one of the most peaceable parakeets in aviculture. They have soft, pleasant chirps and twitters rather than loud calls, and are active mainly in the cooler crepuscular hours. They are not big chewers and are generally undemanding.
While not as overtly cuddly as some companion parrots, hand-raised Bourke's can be tame and trusting. Provide gentle enrichment such as seeding grasses, foraging, and natural branches. Their calm temperament makes them ideal for mixed planted aviaries and for keepers wanting a serene, low-noise bird.
Health
Bourke's parakeets are hardy but, as ground feeders, can pick up intestinal worms and protozoal infections, so periodic fecal screening is wise. They are also susceptible to respiratory infections in damp or cold conditions and to obesity on overly rich diets. Breeding hens can experience egg-binding if calcium is lacking.
Prevention includes dry, draft-free housing, parasite monitoring, a varied diet with adequate calcium, and quarantine of new birds. Routine avian-vet care and prompt attention to lethargy, fluffing, or changed droppings help keep these gentle birds healthy.
Tips, DIY & hacks
Bourke's are calm, quiet, and crepuscular, becoming active at dawn and dusk, so a small night-light can prevent panicked thrashing (night frights) in the dark. They enjoy gentle foraging with sprays of millet and seeding grasses scattered for natural ground-feeding behavior. House them in a planted aviary or with peaceful companions, as they are non-aggressive and do poorly with pushy cagemates.
