VMD 513: Pet animal Breeding, Management, Nutrition and Health Care (1+1)

A. The Indian ring neck parakeet

THE INDIAN RING NECK PARAKEET   [web link .....]

• The Indian ring neck parakeet, P.krameri manillensis, is one of the most beautiful of the larger parakeets.
• The Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri), also known as the Ringnecked Parakeet, is a gregarious tropical parakeet species that is popular as a pet.
• This non-migrating species is one of few parrot species that have successfully adapted to living in 'disturbed habitats', and in that way withstood the onslaught of urbanization and deforestation. In the wild, this is a noisy species with an unmistakable squawking call.
• As is the case with all Psittacula (Afro-Asian Ringnecked Parakeet) species, the Rose-ringed Parakeet is sexually dimorphic.
• The adult male sports a black neck-ring and pink nape-band while the hen and immature birds of both sexes either show no neck rings, or display shadow-like pale to dark grey neck-rings and light (lighter coloured than surroundings) nape-bands.
• The birds are about 17 inches long with a long, tapering tail that makes up about half the body length.
• The primary colour is pastel green.
• Males have a narrow, black band above the nostrils that connects the eyes; below the beak is a black band that goes down the throat and then spreads out and back, making a black band below the cheek.
• There is a light blue band above the black, and a light rose band below the blue.
• The tail and flight feathers show some yellow; some blue tinting may appear on the nape of the neck and down the back.
• The beak is red; an orange ring surrounds the eye.
• Females are a duller green and lack the black, blue, and rose-coloured rings.
• Young ring necks are dull in colour, and it may take two or three years before the males develop their beautiful colour markings.
• Indian ring neck parakeets make excellent pets and are good talkers; ring necks are being bred in blue and yellow forms.
• An African subspecies, the African ring neck, P.K.Krameri, is smaller and lighter in colour.