Why Do Budgies Sing in Their Sleep? A Complete Guide

The budgerigar or budgies are a species of parrots that are native to Australia. In the U.S, they are more commonly known as parakeets. Social and playful, these beauties are considered beginner birds because of their relatively low cost and ease of maintenance. 

However, prospective pet parents are often unaware of the fact that they are not particularly silent. While one would not call their propensity for chirping and singing excessively loud, it certainly can be incessant. They can chirp all day long and might even sing in their sleep.

Why Do Budgies Sing In Their Sleep? 

Birds, in general, sing to mark and claim their territory. It is also a means for them to communicate with their friends and foes. They call and attract their mates while they scream and flap their wings to scare their predators away. 

Their songs are most prominent to us in the early mornings due to lower ambient noise, but if you listen carefully, you will realise that they tend to chirp all day long. Budgies are not very different from their cousins. As for why they sing in their sleep, it is similar to why we humans talk in our sleep. 

For starters, you would have noticed that the baby bird makes a lot more noise than a grown-up bird while sleeping. Human babies too tend to talk more than adults. It is almost like they are practising all that they learnt during the day, in their sleep, and this includes talking. 

Their brains are processing the information and trying to store it for future use. Baby birds listen to their mommies and other birds chirping and singing all day long too. So, while they are asleep, they practise it in their sleep. It is also often interpreted as a cry for attention. The younglings seek more comfort and make noises to get assurance from their parents.

Budgie Making Whimpering Noises? Here’s What It Means 

Budgies whine and scream when they get scared. If they feel a predator approaching their territory, they will make all sorts of noises in the hopes of scaring it and getting help. 

If your budgie is whimpering or whining in their sleep, it could be because they are feeling scared and uncomfortable. If you have another pet at home, like a dog or a cat, this could be the reason why. The bird is instinctively on its guard, and every now and then tries to make sure it is not being attacked. The source of discomfort could also be a bad dream, but there is nothing much you can do to change that. 

However, if they are whimpering frequently and over a longer period of time, it could be because they are not sleeping very well. Budgies need total darkness to sleep calmly, so you could try turning off any unnecessary light sources. You could also cover the cage in such a way that no light enters it at night. This should help calm them down, and result in a night of restful sleep.

Budgie Squeaking When Sleeping 

If the noise they make in their sleep is a light chirp or squeak, you can give yourself a pat on your back. While whimpering is an indicator of discomfort, squeaking is considered to be a sign of satisfaction or happiness. 

Usually, they squeak in their sleep after a good meal. A satisfied tummy and a happy heart would make anyone want to sing.

Do Budgies Snore? & What to Do About It?

They can, but not usually. Budgies make clicking and chirping sounds in their sleep. If they are being trained to talk, they might even say a few words in their sleep. But snoring, in the sense of raspy breathing, can be a sign of distress. 

Pathogens could be causing an infection in its respiratory system causing laboured breathing. Foreign objects, nutritional deficiencies or worm bites can also cause a similar situation, but this would be present through the day as well, not just at night. 

If you notice a lack of energy, runny nose, sneezes and difficulty in breathing, you should take the bird to the veterinarian.

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Are Budgies Noisy in General?

Short Answer: Yes! 

While not loud, budgies are known to be noisy little creatures. If you are a new pet parent, it might be off-putting to you, but rest assured, most Budgie parents get used to the background noise after a while. 

While a few are able to tune it out, others enjoy and look forward to the little chirp in the house. If your budgie is squawking loudly and frequently, it could be a sign of fear or discomfort. Feeding them and moving them to a quieter part of the house might help. 

You should also try and recognize the different sounds they make during the day. This will help in telling apart the normal squawks and chirps from the concerning ones. They express themselves with a multitude of sounds and it takes time to understand which ones indicate distress and which don’t.

Budgies need around ten solid hours of sleep. In nature, they work with the sun, and this can lead to a shift in their sleep pattern. They can get disoriented and agitated if they are sleep deprived. 

Avoid exposing your budgie to more than a dozen hours of light, both natural and artificial. This could be another factor contributing to the noisiness. Another aspect to consider is their personal space,  since the noise factor can also be a result of bickering. If you have more than one budgie, consider giving them individual perches within the cage.

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Final Verdict

Budgies are extremely social and active. The noise comes as part of the package. There is nothing to worry about if you do not see any other distress signs. You can also always consult your vet and make sure everything is fine just to be sure.