Rainbow Budgies ( Complete Guide)

Last Updated on April 20, 2022 by Ali Shahid

It is amazing to see how many colors and markings Budgies come in, given that they are such little birds. I particularly like the rainbow budgie because there are very few like it. From the name, it’s obvious that rainbow budgies are a combination of different colors, so you would expect them to be a beautiful combination of colors, but what exactly are these beautiful birds and how are they different from the normal ones?

Rainbow Budgies

As you can imagine, it can take a lot of time and planning to combine all of those color mutations, so you will find that this color is less likely to be available in your local retailer. Breeding rainbow budgies may seem like a very challenging task, but with the proper genetics, you can succeed.

Physical Appearance of Rainbow Budgies

A combination of sky blue, cobalt blue, or mauve blue is used in the body color, depending on which particular cause is causing the dark color. Generally, the head and neck of the budgies bear signs of spots that are white to medium gray.

There are purple patches on the cheeks, ranging from medium to deep purple. Tail feathers are tipped with a gray body color with a fusion of darker body color. The color of the legs is either blue or gray, depending on the type of leg. It has a black eye color with a white iris.

Rainbow Budgie Size

The Rainbow Budgie species can either be an American, an English, or a combination of both kinds of birds. The average American budgie is usually between 6-and 7 inches long and weighs between 30-and 50 grams.

In the meantime, English budgies can reach a length of 10 inches and weigh between 40-and 63 grams. In some cases, you might find a cross between these varieties. If you plan to purchase a rainbow budgie, you will need to find out what kind of bird he or she is to determine the size of the bird.

It is estimated that an American budgie with a weight of 60 grams would be grossly overweight, whereas an English budgie with a weight of 30 grams would be significantly underweight. Knowing how large your budgie should be can assist you in keeping your pet at the proper weight, thus preventing serious health problems down the road.

Can Rainbow Budgies Talk?

There are many reasons you should not choose a rainbow budgie if you are looking for a bird to talk to. There is nothing wrong with mimicking sounds, whistles, and songs if your budgie is happy, but unfortunately, they are not able to learn words.

In other words, it has nothing to do with their intelligence and is not a reflection of the ability of their vocal cords. I have found the best way of teaching your budgie to whistle is to play the tunes for him or her on a loop so they are aware of what you want them to do.

The lifespan of Rainbow Budgies

The lifespan of rainbow budgies can be extended by 10-15 years if they are properly fed and cared for. Before you make your purchase, you should ensure that you have found a reliable breeder who takes pride in having healthy and long-lasting birds. If you do this, it may extend your pet’s lifespan by several years.

Genetic Mutations of Rainbow Budgies  

As a result of their colorful appearance and their widely popular status, the term “rainbow budgie” is often used to describe birds that are genetically not rainbow budgies. When budgies have the same colors as a rainbow, some people call them rainbow budgies.

The term ‘rainbow’, however, refers to more than the visual appearance of the bird. A rainbow budgie is a species of bird that has four specific mutations in its genes according to the scientific community.

When these mutations come together, you get what is known as the rainbow budgie.

Yellow Face

It is called a yellow face budgie because as you might guess, it has yellow feathers on its face. Aside from the yellow face, there are several variations, such as mutant 1, mutant 2, and golden face, among others.

The most popular color variation for rainbow budgies is probably mutant 2 because it dramatically changes their color, but any of the variations may be suitable. The vast majority of breeders use the variant available to them simply because they can use it.

Despite the possibility of some variation in rainbows depending on their origin and breeders, I feel that it adds a certain uniqueness to each of them.

Opaline

An opaline bird will have a brighter base color and a smaller amount of black striping in comparison to a normal bird. Consequently, the head and back appear well balanced and the amount of black on the feathers of the wings and tail appears to be reduced.

Even though this particular mutation is quite beautiful on its own, it can be a powerhouse of beauty when combined with the other genes in the body.

Clearwing

According to the definition of the clearwing gene, birds’ feathers tend to be diluted in color as a result of the gene. I believe that this is one of the major factors contributing to rainbow budgies’ pastel appearance.

Clearwings are pretty rare in budgerigars, but they are essential for making a rainbow budgie since the clearwing gene makes a budgerigar look spectacular.

Blue

Blue budgies do not have yellow pigmentation on their bodies. As the base color of these budgies is green, there can be some slight variations in color darkness for these budgies.

It is possible for a budgie that is usually green to turn dark blue when, at the very least, it would normally be green, and for a budgie that is normally light green to turn light blue as well.

These are quite a striking pair of budgies, in my opinion. I believe they are a good candidate for the rainbow variety of budgies.

Rainbow Budgie Variations

Yellowface is the mutation responsible for the majority of rainbow budgie variations. There are, however, other factors besides these four mutations which can lead to variations. Those tend to appear when there’s the presence of additional dark factors such as a violet mutation.

Rainbow Spangle Budgie

When the clearwing mutation is substituted for the spangle mutation, a rainbow spangle budgie can be produced. Because the clearwing mutation is relatively rare, this is why breeders usually have difficulty reproducing rainbows.

It is, therefore, easier for breeders to create rainbow budgies by removing the clearwing mutation and replacing it with the spangle mutation. There is, however, a difference between rainbow spangle budgies and traditional rainbow budgies.

Some organizations would only recognize as rainbows the ‘true’ or ‘classic’ rainbows and would not recognize any other type of rainbow variations. Despite this, the spangle mutation is capable of producing similar budgies that can be compared to classic or true rainbows.

The spangle rainbow is a good choice for someone looking for a low-maintenance budgie with easy breeding as they are not meant to be show birds.

Pastel Rainbow Budgie

Some people refer to a rainbow budgie as a pastel rainbow budgie. It is worth noting that ‘pastel rainbow’ is not referring to any mutation that can be found in the budgie, unlike the spangle rainbow term.

This is more of a description of the visual appearance. If a budgie has the appearance of a pastel color, then it can be referred to as a pastel budgie. The pastel color of a budgie’s feathers refers to a lighter shade of color that is both less saturated and more intense.

The lighter coloration of this budgerigar is visually stunning, especially in contrast with the usual bright colors that many breeders use for their budgies. Most people would consider budgies belonging to the rainbow breed to be pastel because of the light, diluted colors.

It is also important to note that not every rainbow budgie is pastel in color. As a result of mutations resulting in the dilution of colors, pastel shades are commonly derived from them. It is possible to achieve this by having a body color that is mauve.

This is a very effective way to accomplish this. This can be achieved by using the usual rainbow budgie and introducing the dark factor genes in the same way. However, if the dilute mutation occurs in both parents, it is best to use this option.

Are Rainbow Budgies Rare?

 In comparison to the lacewing, fallow, and saddleback budgies, rainbow budgies do not appear to be uncommon. The reason rainbow budgies are not rare is that they are highly sought after.

Due to the high demand for these color variations, many breeders are now willing to invest the effort and time needed to breed them. This does not make breeding rainbows any easier, but it does make it more challenging.

The fact of the matter is that there are four different mutations, two of them are recessive, and one is sex-linked. According to our research, the breeding process takes a considerable amount of time and effort.

How Much Is A Rainbow Budgie?

In general, rainbow budgies cost between $30 and $90 on average. To know the exact cost of a rainbow budgie, you have to find out whether you are buying it from a pet store or a breeder.

Furthermore, the price may change if the budgie has already been hand-tamed, or if it has been raised with many other budgies. Budgie’s age, exact coloration, and rarity of the specific color are some of the factors that influence the price.

It is still important to keep in mind that one should plan to set aside about $50 or less for an average rainbow budgie, and around $100 or more for exotic rainbow budgies.

How to Breed Rainbow Budgies

There should be at least one clearwing parent and at least one split parent that has a clearwing gene. Males must be either opaline or split if they need to be opaline. If you want blue coloring you must have both parents be blue.

Important Points

Make sure that the male and female are kept together in separate cages at night, and then watch them give food to each other during their courtship rituals. When they are put back into the main flock in their normal cages, you know they will probably breed happily together if everything goes well.

There is a good chance that a pair of mature, healthy budgies (two years of age or older) will produce eggs because they are both mature adults. Likely, you will not need to interfere with the breeding process of two pairs of budgies if they are both healthy and mature adults.

In case a bird in your care stops eating or seems sickly for some reason, you should immediately separate the female from the male and take both to the veterinarian. Having a baby is difficult for both sexes, especially if the parents are inexperienced, so make sure to keep a close eye out for any signs of illness or injury.

Budgie females tend to be more vivid and colorful in color because of how their makeup has been arranged. Birds have genes that determine feather colors via the X chromosome. 

Accordingly, if a bird has two X chromosomes, it will have a much richer array of feather colors than if it only had one. It is also important to note that in addition to these existing X chromosomes, males have an extra Z chromosome, which generally contributes to their dullness and lack of brightness.

The fact that those with extra chromosomes have a better chance of producing more children is why many breeders are seeking them out. Breeding Budgies during the summer months is the best option as it is the time of year when they are easier to find food and have more light for them to be able to feed all day long.

You are not prohibited from breeding your budgies during the winter, and there is no reason for you not to do so. It is important, however, to be able to provide them with a greater amount of food so that they can remain healthy and warm over the years.

Both sexes need a lot of energy to reproduce, so if your budgies are showing signs of heavy molting that they can be kept indoors, they may not be ready to breed yet. For a female parrot to become receptive, it may take several days for her to do so. Don’t give up immediately.

As long as everything goes well, she should be able to lay eggs within a week or two, so stay calm until she has been ready for a few more days.