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Rose-ringed
Parakeet Psittacula
krameri (Scopoli 1769)
Subspecies
P. k. borealis
- Neumann's
Ring-necked Parakeet (avicultural name) - Distribution:
Found from west Pakistan, northern India and Nepal to central Burma; introduced
populations worldwide.
Description:
Adult Male: mostly green overall , yellowish-green on face, abdomen and under wing-coverts; breast and
abdomen feathers in both sexes tinged with pale gray. Length:
43 cm (17 ins), wing length 170 - 178 mm (6.5 - 7 ins)
HEAD
and NECK: black on chin line following neck to nape, black line grows
thinner toward nape, blue along narrow band neck to nape; pink ring line
narrow near chin growing thicker at nape (may be hidden by green
feathers).
BILL: larger upper and
lower mandible red although lower mandible marked with black in many
birds EYE:
line from cere to eye black; iris yellowish-white.
TAIL:
upper side
of middle tail-feathers blue with greenish-yellow tips, outer feathers
green; underside of outer tail-feathers olive-yellowish, middle feathers
blackish.
FEET:
greenish-gray. slightly larger overall than the other subspecies.
FEMALE:
subtle emerald green neck to nape ring, no black, blue, or pink ring; nape variably washed
with blue; middle tail-feathers on average shorter.
JUVENILES
as female, but bill pale pink; iris gray-white; adult plumage starts to
appear at 18 months, completed by 32 months.
P. k. manillensis
- Indian
Ring-necked Parakeet (avicultural name) - Distribution:
India south of latitude 20°N; Ceylon and island of Rameswaram; introduced
populations worldwide.
Description:
as borealis, though generally darker; face stronger green; blue
tinge to nape extends in many birds to back of head; breast and abdomen
feathers tinged bluish-gray; upper mandible red, lower mandible black;
larger.
Length:
42 cm (16.5 ins), wing length 153 - 180 mm (6 - 7 ins)
The
following two subspecies are not found in North America
P. k. krameri
- Rose-ringed
Parakeet (avicultural name) -Distribution:
Found along the equatorial regions in central and west Africa - Guinea, Senegal and southern Mauritania east to western
Uganda and southern Sudan.
P. k. parvirostris
- Abyssinian
Parakeet - (avicultural name) - Distribution:
On eastern equatorial region of the African continent - northwest Somalia west across northern Ethiopia to Sennar district, Sudan.
Status:
common to very common in localities; however rare or only seasonally seen
in some parts of distribution area.
Habits:
medium noisy to noisy parakeet;
mostly observed in small groups; gathers on feeding or roosting trees in
larger flocks, occasionally more than one thousand birds; noisy and
conspicuous; not shy; prefers to stay in one area only moving around in
that area when foraging; flight swift and direct with rapid wing-beats;
call loud screeching, particularly during flight and on roosting trees. Natural
diet: seeds, fruits, berries, flowers and nectar; after breeding season
Ring-necked Parakeets in some areas of India gather in huge flocks and
forage in grain, millet, rice and maize fields as well as fruit and coffee
plantations often causing considerable damage. California diets contain
considerable amounts of soft-shelled pecans, tree blossoms, and a variety
of fruits.
Breeding
behavior: breeding season varies; from January to June in Southern
California. India, November to June on Ceylon, August to November in Africa;
during courtship soft twittering sounds heard; female moves head in
semi-circle, dilates pupils and spreads her wings; male lifts one foot and
feeds female; copulation ensues; nest holes in tall trees; occasionally in dead palms and softwoods
with woodpecker nest holes; nest lined with decayed wood;
both partners brood, however female longer than male; clutch 2 to 6 eggs;
incubation 21 to 24 days; fledging period 6 to 7 weeks; egg measures 30.7
x 23.8 mm (1.21 x 0.94 ins).
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