Emily’s chief favourites are four beautiful little love birds, or warbling grass parakeets. We saw one evening several flights of them, which came down to the river to drink. They alighted in clusters on the neighbouring gum trees, which they so much resemble in colour, that they were not visible till they flew off again, down to the water.
Emily’s were brought by Tammy the black, who had taken them young. He called the bird the budgereegar, which signifies the good or beautiful bird, showing that even these (sic)savage blacks can appreciate what is most lovely in nature.
The male bird utters a sweet warbling note as he sits by the side of his wife, while she listens attentively, sometimes cooing and rubbing her beak affectionately against his. They do not feed themselves with their claws, as is the custom with other parrots but take up their food with their beaks.
Sometimes the affectionate husband will turn round as if in fun, and screech loudly in his wife’s ear, when she retaliates by giving him a bite, telling him not to make so much noise.
Source: Millicent Courtenay’s Diary, 1873
