Budgies are small birds that don’t take up much space, making them ideal apartment pets.
However, some people worry that budgies make too much noise. It’s true that budgies are vocal and spend most of their day chattering, but budgies aren’t overly loud, even with neighbors just a wall away.
Although budgies are talkative, they’re not too loud for apartments because their sounds largely stay between 2-5 kHz. Budgies talk, chirp, sing, and click often but rarely scream.
Budgies are at their loudest early in the morning, where they’ll chatter and chirp to start the day. If you make less noise, a budgie is less likely to be as noisy.
Female budgies are less talkative than male budgies, but no bird will ever be entirely silent.
Are Budgies Good for Apartments?
Budgies are good apartment birds for new and experienced owners alike. They’re talkative, but they rarely reach volumes loud enough to disrupt a neighboring home.
According to the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, budgies have similar tone-in-noise detection to humans, which helps shape their songs, chattering, and whistles.
Budgies aren’t prone to screaming or shrieking, even when bored. These high volumes usually disturb neighbors, but budgies are too small to pull off such a call.
According to the Laboratory of Comparative Psychoacoustics, the songs and calls of budgies have most of their energy concentrated at 2-5 kHz.
This is similar to a human voice and is heard about 3 feet away from the source. For this reason, having a talkative budgie should be no different than sharing a room with a talkative friend.
Of course, a budgie might let out a high-pitched sound occasionally. It may even seem piercing to the human ear if you’re standing nearby.
Nonetheless, a small budgie will maintain a lower frequency than large parrots.
Are Female Budgies Good For Apartments?
Female budgies are usually quieter than males. The male produces a stream of constant chattering and singing, most of which isn’t bothersome to owners.
If you’re concerned about noise levels in your apartment, select a female. She’ll still whistle, chirp, and talk, but she’ll do it less than a male.
Are Budgies Loud at Night?
Budgies rarely make noise at night. When their environment gets sufficiently dark, they’ll sleep for about 8-10 hours out of the 10-12 they need.
A budgie may wake up and go back to sleep, but it should do so silently. After all, it doesn’t want to draw attention to itself if there are nearby predators or disturb its flock mates.
That’s important when you have pets in apartments. Noise carries through walls, even more noticeably when everyone has gone to bed.
If your budgie does call out during the night, it’s likely distressed or experiencing night fright. This isn’t normal behavior and indicates that your budgie is afraid and confused.
Are Budgies Loud in the Morning?
A budgie’s morning routine always involves chirping, chattering, and singing.
The early hours of the day will be the budgie’s most active (and most talkative) time. However, it shouldn’t be overwhelmingly loud and shouldn’t affect your neighbors.
If you wake up after your budgie does, its high-pitched and melodious voice can wake you earlier. This is why it’s suggested to keep your budgie outside your bedroom, elsewhere in your apartment.
If the budgie lacks attention, it may start calling out more loudly and be heard in other rooms. If it’s housed with other budgies, their chattering could also get more excitable as the day begins. This could disturb roommates but shouldn’t be enough to travel through the walls to a neighbor.
You can reduce this noise by keeping your budgie in the dark until you’re ready to wake up. Put a blanket over its cage. Once you’re up, you can let the budgie get natural light and start the day with you.
Why Is My Budgie Loud?
Like all parrots, budgies make noise, but they’re not too loud to be deemed unfit for an apartment.
Budgies are good apartment pets, as long as you take care of them. If you fall behind in that regard, a budgie may get louder.
Here are some situations to expect and try to avoid:
Nesting
Most budgies make a lot of noise when nesting.
They may feel threatened by fellow cage mates, other pets, and roommates. So, they’ll defend their personal space by making loud and defensive noises.
Overcrowding
If a cage is overcrowded, budgies will make more noise.
They might feel restricted or intimidated by other birds. As a result, they may scream to express their discomfort or call you for assistance.
Illness
Initially, budgies will instinctively attempt to hide a health issue.
However, if the pain and discomfort become unbearable, budgies will make loud noises to let you know they feel unwell.
How Loud is One Budgie?
A single budgie that’s well-cared for and socialized will be the quietest.
It’ll sing, chirp, and mimic words but won’t have anyone encouraging it to be louder. One budgie will never be entirely silent, and it never should be.
However, when ar budgie is lonely or bored, it may become loud. A single bird is good for your apartment if you have time to give a budgie.
If you lack time, getting two budgies will keep each other company.
How Noisy Are Two Budgies?
Two budgies will chirp, chatter, and mimic one another.
They’ll greet each other in the morning and stay busy with vocalizations. However, this should still only be a moderate amount of noise.
Of course, the budgies won’t be talkative constantly. At times, they’ll peacefully spend time together, playing, foraging, or taking a nap in silence.
This won’t last for hours at a time, though. When they’re chattering simultaneously, the noise won’t be louder than with one budgie, but you can tell there are two budgie voices.
Two budgies become loud when they don’t get along. If they feel threatened by each other or don’t have personalities that mesh, they may fight. This discontentment can lead to shrieking and yelling.
Having A Budgie In An Apartment
The key to having a budgie in your apartment is keeping it enriched.
Like all parrots, budgies entertain themselves by singing and playing. Budgies usually resort to screaming and shrieking when they’re bored, distressed, or lonely.
You can circumvent this with toys, snacks, and spending time playing with the budgie.
Of course, if you keep 5-6 budgies in your apartment, they may chatter and sing together at louder volumes. This cacophony may grow and cause a ruckus for your neighbors.
Budgies make good apartment birds because they’re good companion birds and aren’t too loud. As long as your budgie is well cared for, it’ll be an affectionate and loving roommate.
