Why Does My Budgie Scream In The Morning? (7 Possible Reasons)

Like roosters, parrots also tend to vocalize around dawn.

Among budgies, this chirping is associated with reassuring the flock’s safety or signaling for foraging, after a night’s sleep.

And so, when your bird shouts around daybreak, it is most likely saying “Good Morning”.

Otherwise, your budgie is screaming for your help as there is a predator around the cage.

Mornings aside, budgies may screech all the time.

In this article we’re going to talk about in detail why budgies scream

Sound good?

Let’s get started!

Before we talk about why your budgie screams in the morning

I want you to understand why budgies scream in general

Why Do Budgies Scream? (7 Reasons Why)

If you have opted to be a budgie parent, a little noise is inevitable.

Even so, a disturbed or excited budgie is likely to shriek more than usual.

However, this screaming usually involves the following:

1. Natural Tendencies

Parrots tend to stay in flocks that communicate through vocalization, also called “Contact Calls”.

These flocks provide each other protection as well as information regarding food resources.

Since a single parrot is unlikely to survive alone in the wild, therefore,

Solo budgies tend to over communicate through screaming to find their flocks.

And so, a single budgie makes more noise than a pair of budgies.

2. Environmental Stimulation

A captive parrot is desperate to communicate with you.

Since you don’t speak budgie language, a budgie may start mimicking sounds that matter to you.

A budgie may mimic a doorbell, simply because you respond to it.

So, if you live in a deafening neighborhood or have noisy kids.

Then your budgie will also speak loudly.

3. Emotional Expression

Perhaps, your budgie screams because you only pay him attention when he shrieks.

You see, budgies are quite the social birds.

They may even get jealous of your attention.

So, if you only come to them when they screech, they will associate screaming like a “contact call”.

That said,

Some budgies even scream out of boredom.

4. Breeding Season

Budgies experiencing hormonal changes are often exceptionally cranky.

They may fight over a mate, squabble for nesting space, and may reject even their favorite treats.

And so, even the usually gentle budgies start screaming during the breeding season.

5. Overcrowded Cage

If there are too many budgies in a small cage, they are bound to bicker.

So, always get the biggest cage you can afford.

The screaming often happens when you introduce a new bird to your avian family.

6. Disease or Injury

Birds tend to hide their sickness to avoid becoming prey.

However, a budgie may go overboard in pretending to be alright.

If your budgie has recently started to scream a lot, you may want to get your birdie checked by a vet

7. Abusive Past

Since parrots retain long-term memories.

Therefore, they are unlikely to forget any abuse they may have suffered in their previous homes.

Consequently,

An abused budgie may scream to deter your presence.

Why Does My Budgie Scream in the Morning? (Possible Reasons)

Normally a budgie may shout in the morning for the following reasons:

1. Dawn Salute

Just like a rooster’s internal clock triggers him to crow at daybreak.

And so, your budgie yelling in the morning is more of a habit than anything else.

Scientists associate this call with a sort of wake-up signal.

It’s to ensure all flock members are ready to forage.

2. Contact Calls

Morning screaming may be a sort of roll call.

You see, all healthy parrots within a flock tend to chirp at least once in the morning.

This goes on for a typical 20-minute span.

It ensures that no member of their family was taken away by some predator in the dead of the night.

Perhaps, your budgie wants to ensure your safety and is screaming to see you.

3. Seeking Food

Wild birds start foraging at dawn.

However, captive birds get their food from their human keepers.

So perhaps, your budgie heard you move in your sleep.

Therefore,

Your budgie is screaming to get fresh food.

4. Fear

If there are hawks or owls in your area, your budgie may get scared.

Or perhaps, it’s your cat or dog trying to be too friendly to your budgie.

Which could mean..

Your budgie is yelling for your protection.

5. Lack of Sleep

Like lack of sleep turns humans cranky, it can also cause a budgie to become irritable.

Besides, budgies regulate their life cycles with sunlight exposure.

And so, they may artificially enter their breeding cycle if they don’t get enough sleep.

Such a budgie may exhibit all sorts of odd behaviors, even screaming without a cause.

6. Nutritional Deficiencies

The budgies raised on the “Seed Only Diet” are likely to experience malnutrition.

A budgie may express its nutritional deficiencies through screaming.

7. Breaking the Silence

In the wild, the silence corresponds to the presence of a predator.

Consequently, a budgie may sing or screech to break the silence.

Now that we know the possible reasons your budgie is screaming in the morning

Let’s look at how you could stop this behavior

Carry on reading..

How To Get My Budgie To Stop Screaming In The Morning?

While such a change may take time, but you can always reduce such screaming by:

1. Relocating Cage

Never sleep in the same room as your budgie.

While you may be ready for this commitment now.

But you may be unable to fulfill this in later future.

You see, a budgie may wake up with the slightest of commotion or get scared.

I suggest you:

Relocate cage to an outdoor view during the day, and shift to a dark place during the night.
Set up territories for your pets.
Get a cage big enough for your budgie to comfortably fly.

2. Improving Sleep Quality

This involves:

Shifting budgies to a quiet and pitch-dark place for the night.
Closing all windows and all doors. Also, drawing in heavy curtains.
Providing enough sleeping perches for all your budgies.
Not disturbing your budgies for at least 10-hours.
Covering up the cage.

Though people do use polyester or blanket covers.

However, these may cause your budgie some breathing difficulty, or it may chew on the cover itself.

Therefore, I recommend breathable tailormade covers from pet stores.

Check out my article My budgie gets grumpy at night where I talk about where to put your budgies cage at night and which cover to use

3. Regulating Sunlight Exposure

A budgie needs a 12-hour-daylight to a 12-hour-dark cycle for normal functioning.

Though, you can delay your bird’s waking hours by wearing them out during the day, and letting no sunlight reach their cages until late morning.

However, don’t misuse this trick.

Otherwise, you will be playing with your budgie’s biological clock.

So, even if you live in some dark basement, you need to provide your bird with ultraviolet-spectrum fluorescent lights.

5. Stimulating the Mental Activity

Your budgie needs quality time with you to not seek your attention through screaming.

Also, increasing mental stimulation may keep your budgie busy.

You may do so by:

Shuffling arrangement within the cage.
Bringing in new toys
Training your bird to stay quiet by positively reinforcing gentle behavior.
Letting your bird fly around for at least 1 hour on daily basis.
Getting at least two birds so, they keep each other company.

Check out my article – How do I bond with my budgie?

6. Managing Traffic

Ensure that no predators can even come in sight of your Budgie.

Neither Mr. Meows nor Mr. Hawks get to go around the cage.

Here are a few more things to manage your feathered residents:

Play budgie sounds to soothe your bird or maybe you can on the radio
When introducing a new bird to your flock, employ a gradual approach.
Don’t overcrowd a small cage.

7. Feeding a Balanced Diet

Nutritional deficiencies may lead to the shortening of your budgie’s lifespan.

I recommend you always consult an avian expert regarding your budgie’s diet plan.

Especially, when introducing something new to their menu.

A rule of thumb is to be always moderate.

8. Understanding Bird Behavior

If you cannot bear noise at all, budgies are not your ideal pets.

Because a happy and healthy bird is likely to get extra chatty around you.

Since budgies have distinct personalities.

Therefore, one of your budgies may be exceptionally calm but others budgies may be loud

Your budgie will speak no matter how much you train it to be quiet.

You can only manage noise.

I suggest you:

Always speak softly to your budgie.
Set up an early alarm to see your budgie in the morning.
Spend quality time with your budgie.
Remove things that make your birds shriek.

Here are a few things not to do.

Never yell back at your shouting budgie.
Don’t give treats to a shrieking budgie. Walk away and return once the budgie calms down.
Never punish your budgie. You will not only lose your bird’s trust. And it also counts as animal abuse.

9. Seeking Medical Advice

While all these may help reduce your bird’s shrieking.

However,

There is no substitute for professional advice when it comes to budgies.

Check out my article – How to keep budgies quiet

Conclusion

Budgies tend to vocalize “dawn salute” in the morning hours.

This ensures the safety of all their flock members.

It also indicates the time for foraging.

However, a budgie may be screaming to ask your help because of some overhead threat like a predator.

So, you need to find the cause and resolve the issues to calm down your budgie.

However, you must always seek medical advice for changes in your budgie’s behavior.

But do remember, budgies are very vocal as this is in their nature

A vocal budgie means a happy and healthy budgie

Related article – Are budgies too loud for apartments