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12

Budgerigar - Aboriginal information

(Melopsittacus undulatus)
Alternative names: "Shell Parrot", "Warbling Grass-parrot", "Canary Parrot", "Zebra Parrot", "Love-bird"
Aboriginal names: "budgerigah", "betcherrygah", "gidjirrigaa" [gamilaraay, yuwaalaraay]; "dingleyerong" (WA); "gilgilga", "cathathara" ("katatara"), "coolyerrin"
Size: 17-20 cm
Weight: 30-40 g

Back to the Budgerigar main page .

Spiritual significance

The Budgerigar features in some Aboriginal creation stories. A few examples are reproduced or listed here.

K. L. Parker (J. Lambert ed.) tells the story of "The Redbreasts", about Ooya and Gidgerigar (p. 104; Inner Traditions International, 1993 ed.). This story explains how Ooya and Gidgerigar were transformed into birds before being taken to heaven.

Disclaimer: Not being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin, we make no claim of intellectual ownership of any of the information presented here. We merely collect facts and stories documented by others. Credits/references are listed HERE.

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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