In the range of a budgie's breast, there is a bone that is called
sternum, and it's an evolutionary specialty
of birds. Its cross section is similar to the Mercedes Benz "star".
One part of the sternum points out of the bird's body. At this breast
bone, the flight muscles that stretch over a budgie's breast are fixed.
If vets want to test the nourishing condition of a bird, they touch the breast searching for the sternum. A normally nourished budgie who is in good condition shows trained muscles and only little fat, thus the breast bone is evenly perceptible.
Those budgies who are in bad nourishing conditions, don't have enough flight muscles and their sternum is clearly perceptible as a sharp edge. In worst cases, the breast bone is even visible for layman while shift the bird's feathers sideward carefully. The photo on the right shows the sternum of a lineolated parakeet. Because of the blindness, this bird loves to lay on his belly. Therefore the feathers are gone and one can clearly see the sternum. Apart from being blind, this bird is healthy and well-fed, so the sternum doesn't show any signs of underweight.
Birds who are overweighed can be recognized by their big breast. It is nearly impossible to feel their sternum which is completely covered by adipose tissue.
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