Budgerigars aka parakeets (Melopsittacus undulatus) are easily the most popular pet bird in the world. We enjoy their playful antics, cheerful chatter, ability to mimic humans, and the plethora of selectively bred color variations they come in. But like all domesticated animals they have their roots in the wild where they live far different lives from those in our cages. Budgies come from Australia, along with a lot of other popular pet birds (zebra finches, cockatiels, cockatoos, etc.) where they live in nomadic flocks, scouring grasslands and scrublands for various seeds. They’re tough, hardy little birds, a requirement for dealing with the harsh Australian bush. That toughness is what also makes them popular as exotic pets, being relatively easy to care for versus other parrot species.
Today we’re looking at two budgie figures by Mojo Fun. Although popular as pets I can’t think of too many plastic budgies out there, although a lot of plush ones exist. Mojo produced two different budgies in 2017. Both budgies are the same sculpt but with different paintjobs. One has the green “wild type” coloration and the other is one of the blue colored domestic varieties. They measure about 2.9” (7.5 cm) whereas wild budgies measure about 7” (18 cm) in length. Wild budgies also tend to be smaller than domesticated ones.
Although I find Mojo toys are hit and miss these budgies are outstanding. They aren’t much larger than comparable Safari toob figures but they pack a lot of detail, especially in the feathering details on the wings. Although there are some feather details on the head and tail most of the body appears smooth. This is fine; budgies have a smooth soft appearance in life anyway.
Both the toys represent male birds as indicated by the royal blue cere, the area where the nostrils are, right above the beak. In females the cere tends to be brown but in a lot of domestic varieties it can be difficult to tell. The only anatomical feature that is notably missing is the iridescent cheek patch but aside from that these toys are as faithful to the real animal as you could expect from this size. Both are positioned in a static pose, face forward and standing firmly on their zygodactyls feet.
Although I bought these toy budiges for my daughter, who is budgie obsessed, I also think that these toys would display really well and have grown quite fond of them. They’re a great addition to any toy bird collection.
