In the wild, it is not unusual for these birds to still be out and about past sunset. Bourkes are the only members of the Neophema family that lack the green feathering. They also have a slightly different body and tail shape, indicating that they might not be as closely related to the other Neophemas as we think. Although Bourke's make superb foster parents, they will not inbreed with the other grass parakeets. The male Bourke has a blue band of feathers above his nostrils.
Hens are generally smaller in size.
The Bourke has several color mutations that are more popular than the normal color phase. One of these is the rosy Bourke. Rosies are relatively inexpensive and readily available. This sex-linked mutation ranges in color from pale pink to the more desirable dark pink. Males and females are virtually identical in appearance, though hens have darker faces and more grey scattered throughout their body.