Alexandrine Parakeet

NAME:
Eng. Alexandrine Parakeet
Lat. Psittacula Eupatria

On the photo you can see a alexandrine parrot. The photo is taken from the local pet shop.

ORIGIN: South of India, west of Hyderabad, Pradesh and Sri Lanka.

PHYSICAL APPEARENCE: Alexandrine Parakeets belong to a class of large-medium sized parrots, 58 cm (23in). The largest are the Indian parrots. Their life span can reach up to 50 years if they are provided with the necessary conditions for life. The dominant color is green, the cheeks and the nape are grey-green. Around the neck, from the lower side, they have a black necklace blending into orange-red from the upper side. Under-wing coverts are darker green with grey edges. On the upper side of the wing there is a reddish feathered area. The length of the wing is 22-25 cm (9-10 in). The tail from the lower side is yellow while the others are shorter and green. The length of the tail depends on the condition of keeping and nutrition. The tail is 22 to 35cm (9-14 in) length. The bill is a striking red and it is markedly built. The iris is yellow-white. The feet are grey. Their sex is distinguishable only after 32 to 36 months when males develop the necklace around the neck. In females, the green color is darker and the red spots on the wings are smaller and darker. The middle tail feathers are shorter. It is impossible to determine the sex in young birds. Their color is dark, the iris is dark without the yellow-white ring. More alexandrine parakeet pictures...

Alexandrine parrots sex is distinguishable only after 32 to 36 months when males develop the necklace around the neck.

KEEPING AND CARE: Alexandrine Parrots are very grateful pets that can be tamed very easily and learn to pronounce a great number of words. They were very popular pets with the old Romans. The cage for these birds must be spacious enough and placed in a quiet place out of draught winds and direct sunlight. The rungs in a cage must be strong enough so that the bird cannot break them with its large and strong bill.

Cute alexandrine parakeet as pet in the hand of the owner.

When one buys a bird it is recommended to get the bird as young as possible so the bird may adapt to the surroundings without stress. When one acquires the bird, it should be left alone to adapt to the new environment, approaching it slowly in order not to frighten the bird. After that, one should slowly start to offer the bird sweets such as fruit by hand, try to communicate with the bird without making any rash movements, and using a calm voice. Birds fed by hand are calmer and more tame and their socialization is far more easier. In order for the feathers to stay beautiful and well-groomed, it is recommended to splash the birds with water of mild temperatures once or twice a week.

DIET: Speckled sunflower make up the main element of the mixture consisting of millet seeds, shelled oats, canary seeds, buckweat, saffron, hemp, sorghum,pop corn, flax and black seeds.
Fruits and vegetables have to be included in the diet every day (apples, plums, nuts, grapes, bananas, chicory, spinach). Lettuce, cabbage and pears should be avoided. Minerals such as clear sand, pieces of sea shells, and cuttle-bone have to be available always.

BREEDING ALEXANDRINE PARAKEET: In nature, the breeding season begins in November and lasts until April. They settle in small colonies and few pairs build nests on the same tree.They build the nests in old, dead palm-trees and in softer trees. The breeding of Alexandrine Parakeets is not difficult.In shelters, the pairs are kept separately. Breeding begins in February, and if the winter is harsh, it could begin a month later. An aviary consists of two parts, both the outer and the closed winter part which should be spacious. The aviary for one pair of these parrots should be of 0.70-1 m (28-40 in) of width, 2 m (78 in) high and 2-3 m (78-118 in) long. The nest placed in the sheltered part of the aviary should be put at the very top. The appropriate dimensions of the nest are 40 cm (16 in) in width, 60 cm (24 in) in length, the exit hole of the nest is 9-10 cm (4 in). At the bottom of the nest, one can put 5-7 cm (2 in) of large wood chips.
The female clutches 2-4 eggs and incubation lasts 26 to 28 days. The baby alexandrine parrots stay in the nest for 7-8 days and during this period their feathers fully develop. Three weeks after leaving the nest, the younglings become independent; however, it is desirable to keep them with their parents for 5-6 weeks after leaving the nest. In order to make feeding of the young birds easier, one can add soft food based on eggs so the younglings can develop better. The baby birds could be fed by hand. Such birds are tame and their socialization tends to be easier.

INTERESTING FACTS: Alexandrine parakeets live span is in average 30 years, but there have been cases where the birds have lived as long as 50 years.

Very well tamed parakeet do not have fear of people.

They are relatively easy to tame.
Alexandrine parrots can learn to imitate human speech very easily and have been known to be able to imitate over 200 words.
They were kept as favorite pets in ancient Rome. In Rome, records show owners of these parrots with them on their shoulders.

Me and alexandrine parrot...

Apart from a green color, alexandrine parakeets can be found in mutations of blue, lutino and white colors which are very rare and thus expensive.