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Ringneck Parakeet |
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Bird Breeds:
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DESCRIPTION
16 inches (41cm). Green, with black collar, beak band and stripe between
nostrils and eyes. Red shine behind collar. Yellowish-green belly and
undertail coverts, bluish-green tail feathers with yellow tips. Eyes yellow-orange,
beak red, legs black. Immatures resemble adult hen, but have greenish
irises and paler bills. Well-known mutations include lutino (sex-linked);
blue (autosomal recessive); albino (formed from lutino and blue); cinnamon
(or isabelle); grey (dominant when paired to normal). Species may have
been known to Alexander the Great (356—323 BC). The related, but larger,
Alexandrine Parakeet (P. eupatria) in fact bears his name. Apart
from variation in size, only plumage distinction is that Alexandrines
also have red shoulder patches.
NATURAL DISTRIBUTION
Covers wider area than any other species of psittacine, from northwest
Africa through Asia as far east as Burma, and into China. Introduced to
many other localities.
HABITAT
Ringneck Parakeet likes gardens, parks, farmland, woodland and timbered
areas and lowland of Sri Lanka. Sometimes in flocks of about 15,000. Likes
to bathe in the rain. Flocks split up during breeding season, each pair
nesting in a tree cavity after courtship ritual: female twitters and rolls
eyes at strutting male, rubs bills with him and accepts food. Even so,
no firm pair bonding. Female dominates.
DIET
Ringneck Parakeet eat Ripening fruit, grain (will even invade grainstores,
opening sacks with hooked bills and squabbling over spoils), parrot mixture,
greenstuff and non-fatty seeds.
SPECIAL NEEDS
Generous aviary, 12 to 16 feet (4 to 5m) long, because reportedly males
in small areas become sterile. Young independent birds should be placed
in roomy flight. Tolerates light frost, but provide temperate, protected
area.
CAGE LIFE
Ideal aviary pet, may talk well and can live for more than half a century.
Possible to keep colonies. Lays 3 to 6 white eggs, incubation 22 to 26
days by female, fledging 45 to 52 days. Female starts nest inspection
early in the year and will build the nest in about three days. She chews
the wood shavings and chips placed in the nest box (10 X 10 X 16 inches/25
X 25 X 40cm, entrance diameter 3 inches/8cm) into shape. Male feeds both
female and chicks; hen helps feed after a week.
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