What are pink parrots called?

Info

These parrots are called Bourka in their homeland. They are the only representatives of the pink bellied parrot genus and are considered the most unusual among the parrot family. The distinctive characteristics of birds are their unusual appearance, small size, excellent physical characteristics, and friendly character. In addition, birds quickly become attached to people, although they are very shy by nature, which is usually unusual for parrots.

Name and classification	Species: Pink bellied parrot Neopsephotus bourkii Genus Pink-bellied (Neopsephotus) Family Psittaculidae Order Psittaciformes Class Birds (Aves)
Bird length	0.2 – 0.25 m
Body type	Chunky
Adult weight	0.04 – 0.05 kg
Color	A combination of pink, brown, and gray colors with blue, blue, purple, and white splashes.
Beak	Yellow with a hint of brown.
Tail	Straight and blue, it reaches 12 cm in length.
Eyes	Brown
Paws	Pinkish gray
Features of young animals	Juveniles have white feathers on their heads.
Sex differences	Males have a blue stripe on the head with bright blue wings. Females have a white eyebrow and dull plumage.

Habitat and lifestyle

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Pink bellied parrot grass parrots were on the verge of extinction. But thanks to timely organized environmental measures, the bird population was preserved and is now not in danger.

The bulk of Bourca’s parrots live in the southern part of the Australian continent and on the island of Tasmania. Birds inhabit mainly steppe areas.

Pink-bellied parrots are also called Grass Parrots, since their main way of life is running through grass thickets in search of food (plant seeds, small fruits, insects, larvae). Sometimes they can climb bushes if there is suitable food there. Birds are most active in the early morning or late evening.

Varieties

There is still debate among ornithologists regarding the classification of Pink bellied Parrot. Some of them believe that this is a separate species of its own kind. But most of them classify birds as belonging to the Grass genus, which includes 6 more species of birds. The main difference between all varieties is the color of the plumage, but otherwise they are completely similar to each other.

Pink-bellied Neophema bourkii	The dominant colors of plumage are pink, brown, gray, blue.
Azure Neophema pulchella	The main color is a combination of green, blue, yellow. There are also splashes of brown, red and white.
Golden-bellied (orange) Neophema chrysogaster	The birds are distinguished by their elegant emerald plumage, which also combines red, blue and yellow tones. A distinctive feature is a blue eyebrow with a golden spot on the belly.
Blue-winged Neophema chrysostoma	Against the background of the gray-green color, the eyebrow, wings and tail are blue. There are also yellow shades in the color.
Decorated (elegant) Neophema elegans	The bird got its name because of the bright blue patches on its forehead and wings against the background of the olive-green color of the body.
Rock (stone) Neophema petrophila	This species has a marsh-green main body color. Upon careful examination, you can notice rare feathers of blue, gray, yellow colors in the area of the head and tail.
Red-breasted (glossy) Neophema splendida	The most beautiful variety among the Grass Parrot family. The birds received this status due to the amazing combination of blue, green, red, and yellow colors. The glossy sheen of the feathers adds elegance to the birds.

Lifespan

Grass parrots are said to live for about 20 years, although there is no official confirmation of this. According to recorded data, birds only live up to 12 years of age.

Reproduction in the wild

Bird couples are monogamous (they form families for life). The mating season falls in September. Birds make nests in deep tree hollows. After short-term courtship, the female lays eggs, which she then incubates for about 3 weeks. The peculiarity is that the female is able to lay up to 5 eggs in just 48 hours.

The role of the male is to build the nest, guard it, and feed the partner. After the birth of offspring, both parents participate in their upbringing. By 30 days of age, young parrots are fully feathered and begin to fly out of the nest, but for about 2 more months they do not refuse parental support.

Keeping a parrot at home

After the Pink bellied Parrot almost disappeared more than a hundred years ago, the Australian government banned their export in addition to their conservation status. Therefore, it is quite difficult to meet these miniature birds outside the green continent on private property. There are also few nurseries around the world that breed Buorks. The low number of offers on the market determines the cost, which ranges from 50 to 100 US dollars per bird.

Despite the considerable price and inability of Buorks to speak, they are always in great demand among breeders. People want to get feathered pets of this species for several reasons:

birds are not aggressive towards people or other pets;
quickly tamed;
does not require much storage space;
eat little;
they sing beautifully.

Necessary cell

It is worth remembering that the more spacious the home, the better the parrots will feel in it. In the case of the Pink bellied parrot species, it is better to focus on length or width rather than height. This is due to the fact that birds like to run more than fly. But walking with flights should be present, because this is the prevention of muscle atrophy.

It is recommended to place the bird house in a place protected from direct sunlight and drafts, on a hill.

From the inventory the birds will need:

feeders
daily two boil egg

Grass parrots are very clean birds. Therefore, caring for their cage will not be difficult. Equipment must be cleaned and washed daily. But you can change the litter 1-2 times a week. Preventive disinfection is recommended to be carried out monthly.

What to feed

The diet of a Buorka parrot should include:

Seeds (safflower, sunflower, canary, hemp, flax, poppy).
Grain (buckwheat, millet, oat, barley, wheat).
Microgreens made from grains or seeds.
Vegetables (carrots, chard, beets, carrots, zucchini).
Fruits with berries (apples, pomegranates, pears, bananas, grapes).
Greens (lettuce, plantain, dandelion, spinach, clover, amaranth).
Branches of fruit trees or bushes.
Cuttlefish shell, eggshell, chalk.

How does it reproduce in captivity?

Pink-bellied parrots breed well in captivity. But to do this, you should follow the step-by-step recommendations of ornithologists:

Form a pair (the birds must get used to each other and become friends with each other).
Move the female and male into a spacious cage or enclosure.
Prepare the nesting house for the beginning of the mating season, cover it with wood filler or sawdust. The optimal dimensions of the nesting compartment are 0.25×0.20×0.20 cm, the diameter for the entrance is 5-6 cm.
During laying and incubation, try not to disturb the birds unnecessarily. Feathered parents incubate and feed their offspring independently.
At the age of 1-1.5 months, the young should be removed from the cage (an adult male can be aggressive towards young parrots).

How long do they live?

Grass parrots in captivity live approximately 10-12 years. Their lifespan is influenced by their living conditions together with their diet.

If you want to get a feathered pet, then the best choice is the Herbal Pink bellied parrot an unpretentious bird that is suitable for keeping even novice poultry keepers. Their friendly character and original appearance will quickly win the hearts of all household members.

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