Photo © by Alok Tewari
Gurgaon Rural, Haryana, India, May-2018
Alternative Name: Ring-necked Parakeet
- Psittacula krameri
Identification
37–43 cm (14½-17 in)
- Green plumage
- Long tail, with blue-green central feathers and yellower side feathers
- Red bill, often with black lower mandible
Male
- Black neck-ring
- Pink nape-band
- Full plumage acquired in third year.
Female and immature both lack the neck rings, or show a shadow-like pale to dark grey neck-ring and a light nape-band[3].
Distribution
Across northern sub-saharan Africa from Mauritania to Eritrea, and southern Asia, in Pakistan, India, Nepal, Burma, and Sri Lanka.
Feral populations widespread and increasing rapidly in Europe, southwest Asia, South Africa, Hawai'i, California, Florida and South America. Most are considered to be of the subspecies P. k. borealis although some may be of hybrid stock.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Four subspecies are accepted, only showing small differences[1][2]:
- P. k. krameri:
- Mauritania to Senegal, Guinea, western Uganda and South Sudan. Bill with upper mandible red, lower black, in both sexes.
- P. k. parvirostris:
- P. k. borealis:
- P. k. manillensis:
Habitat
Open countryside with some trees including gardens and parks.
Behaviour
They can form very large flocks.
Breeding
Nests in holes in trees; usually lays 3-4 eggs, in late winter or early spring.
Diet
Diet includes fruit, nuts, berries, seeds, buds, and vegetables. Often considered a pest species causing damage to crops.
Vocalisation
A raucous screech. Particularly noisy in flight, but can also sit quietly in trees for long periods.
Listen in an external program
Recording by Alok Tewari
Urban Garden near residential apartment, Delhi, India, Sep.-2016
Gallery
Click images to see larger version
Juvenile
© by ammadoux
North Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Dec-2017
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and J Sargatal, eds. 1997. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 4: Sandgrouse to Cuckoos. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334221
- Birdforum thread discussing separating male, female and juvenile of this species.
- Wikipedia
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Rose-ringed Parakeet. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 24 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Rose-ringed_Parakeet
External Links
