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Ringed parrots, or, as they are also called, Ozhere lovye Ringed parrots, have been known to mankind since ancient times. In those ancient times, keeping such birds at home was considered an indicator of luxury that only nobles could afford. Although a thousand years have passed, the fashion for beautiful birds has not gone away. The only difference is that they have become available to everyone.
Beautiful appearance, friendliness, ease of care these are all the characteristics that attract breeders. It is important that the care and maintenance of feathered pets be very simple and suitable for people without experience.
Credit: iNaturalist
Features and appearance
| Name and classification | Genus Ringed parrots Psittacula Family Psittaculidae Order Parrots Psittaciformes |
| Body length | 0.3 – 0.5 m |
| Wings | From 0.15 to 0.17 m in length, sharp, spotted, yellow-green above and gray below. |
| Adult weight | 0.13-0.17 kg |
| Tail | Long, stepped, multi-layered. |
| Color | Mostly green, but there are blue, white, yellow subspecies, as well as different shades of color. There is an orange rim around the eyes. |
| Beak | Red, large, rounded, often used as a third support – a “leg” when walking. |
| Eyes | Black |
| Paws | Short, weak. |
| Features of the view | The presence of a dark stripe around the neck, which is called a “necklace” (hence the name “necklace”) or “tie.” |
| Features of young animals | They are born similar to their mothers, but by the age of 3 the males change their plumage and can be distinguished. |
| Age dimorphism | • from birth to 6 months the beak is pink, and then turns red. • the first mild “necklace” begins to appear only at one year of age, and becomes pronounced after three years of age. • Up to 6 months, two main tail feathers are missing. |
| How to determine gender? | The boy is distinguished by the presence of a “necklace” (the girl does not have one) and a brighter color. But until the age of 3, gender can only be determined by DNA analysis. In some species, beak color also differs between different. |
Habitat For Ringed Parrots
The main distribution area is the tropical zone. Large populations inhabit the southern part of the Eurasian continent, the territory of East Africa. Due to introduction, it was also brought to Australia, Europe and Madagascar. Species introduced by humans feel good in new lands, but act aggressively, displacing local bird populations.
Credit: Parrotbrainery.com
Lifestyle
They live in wooded areas and parks in flocks. Early in the morning they fly out to look for food and water. In the hot heat of the day they rest in the foliage of trees. In the evenings they also gather for feeding. The diet includes plant seeds, fruits, vegetables, grains, grass, leaves.
Reproduction
Birds are monogamous. They produce 2-3 broods per year. Nests are built high in the hollows of old trees. One clutch contains up to 4 eggs, which the female incubates for 4 weeks. Both parents feed the chicks. The two-month-old young leave the mother’s nest and begin to lead an adult life separately, but in the same flock.
How long do they live in the wild?
The average lifespan of wild Parrots is about 12 years. But a very small part of birds survive to this age.
Among the factors that shorten the life of birds:
- negative climate change;
- natural disasters (floods, fires);
- shooting by farmers;
- predators;
- catching by poachers;
- diseases.
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Types of necklace parrots
Science knows about 16 species of ringed parrots (three of them are currently recognized as extinct).
| 1. Rose-breasted Psittacula alexandri | • Indian Peninsula • Southern China • Foothills of the Himalayas | • Pink plumage on the upper belly. • Sideburns on the cheeks and stripes on the forehead are black. • In females the beak is completely black, while in males it is red with a black mandible. |
| 2. Emerald Psittacula calthropae | O. Sri Lanka (Ceylon). | • Bright green “necklace” around the neck. • Yellow and blue tail. • The female beak is black and the male beak is red. |
| 3. Gray-headed (plum-headed) Psittacula caniceps | Along the entire coast of the Indian Ocean. | • The species is poorly studied. • Gray plumage with black stripes on the head. |
| 4. Malabar Psittacula columboides | India | • Gray-blue tint of feathers. • There is yellow down on the head and belly. • Females are bluer than males. |
| 5. Red-headed Psittacula cyanocephala | • India • China • Nepal • Pakistan • Sri Lanka | • The most beautiful species in the family. • A combination of emerald blue, yellow, pink, red, brown color palette. • Black “necklace”. • The male beak is yellow and the female beak is red. • They sing beautifully and melodiously. |
| 6. Chinese Psittacula derbiana | • China • India | • Can be taught to talk. • Gray head and neck. |
| 7. Pink-headed Psittacula roseata | • India | • There are brown spots on the wings. • They can be trained, but cannot talk. |
| 8. Finsch’s ringed fish Psittacula finschii | • Thailand • China • Vietnam | • Lives at an altitude of several thousand kilometers above ocean level. |
| 9. Alexandrov Psittacula eupatria | • South and Southeast Asia • Andaman Islands • Sri Lanka | • Pink “necklace” in males. • Trainable, but not very cooperative (up to 15 words). |
| 10. Himalayan Psittacula himalayana | • India • Vietnam | • Females have very pale plumage. • Males have red spots on their wings. |
| 11. Indian ringed parrot or Cramer’s parrot Psittacula krameri | • East Africa • South Asia | • The most common type. • Green-blue plumage. • The chest of males is black, and that of females is light green. |
| 12. Threadtail Psittacula longicauda | • Indonesia • Malaysia • Singapore | • Males have a red beak, and females have a black beak. • Red cheeks. |
| 13. Mauritian Psittacula echo Endangered! | • Madagascar • Mauritius | • The population numbers only a hundred individuals, and most of them are males. |
| 14. † Seychelles Psittacula wardi Extinct species | ||
| 15. † Rodrigues necklace Psittacula exsu Extinct species | ||
| 16. † Mascarene Psittacula Mascarinus Extinct species |
Breeders managed to breed hybrid populations of necklace parrots of different colors:
- necklace yellow;
- Blue Necklace Parrot;
- white;
- necklace green;
- grey.
Credit: Pinterest
Population and status of necklace parrots
Necklace parrots are considered a widespread bird species. Most of them reproduce rapidly and their populations are increasing around the world. The most persistent of the family is called Indian Cramer’s Ringed parrots. These birds adapt well to local living conditions, perfectly adapt to temperature changes and are unpretentious in their diet. Farmlands in Europe and the United States, located in the subtropical region, suffer from raids by these birds.
Other species behave less aggressively, but scientists also record a large increase in bird flocks in nature. The only one from the ringed family included in the Red Book as a species that is in danger of extinction is the Mauritian necklace parrot. The habitat of these birds is limited to the islands of Mauritius and Madagascar, which have become very popular among tourists recently. The development of local tourism requires the development of infrastructure, and this negatively affects the local flora and fauna. Cutting down trees where native ring-necked birds nested has led to a sharp decline in their numbers.
But the Seychelles, Rodrigues and Mascarene species were considered completely extinct. All attempts to find representatives of these populations for the purpose of reproduction, at least in captivity, have been futile. Birds have completely disappeared from the face of the Earth.
Keeping a parrot at home
With proper care, necklace parrots feel great in captivity, so they are considered ideal parrots for home keeping. All that is required from the owner is to provide the birds with housing and balanced nutrition, and clean the cage. If you show patience, spend enough time with the bird, and teach it, then a wonderful pet will appear in the house, which will delight you with its learned tricks, and even speak. What can be unpleasantly surprising is the loud voice of your feathered friend. But you can get used to it over time, especially if you direct the parrot’s vocal abilities in the right direction.
Cage and accessories
Recommended cage dimensions are from 0.7×0.5×1.0 m (per individual). If a couple is supposed to be kept, then the area of their home should be from 3 m2 . The best option is to keep parrots in large enclosures, if the area of the house or apartment allows.
The cage material is durable metal treated with anti-corrosion agents.
Required bird house equipment:
- feeders with drinkers;
- poles;
- stairs;
- bathtub;
- toys (bells, balls, mirror).
Credit: LatestLY
Diet
A parrot’s diet should be balanced and varied.
The menu should include:
- Grain and mixtures of grain crops – 35-40% of the total diet (millet, sunflower, canary seed, oats, oat flakes, wheat).
- Vegetables (pumpkin, cucumbers, broccoli, zucchini).
- Fruits (bananas, citruses, apples, pears).
- Walnuts.
- Boiled eggs.
- Low-fat cottage cheese.
Bathing
Water procedures harden the feathered pet, make it possible to clean the feathers of dirt and parasites, and prevent the transmission of infectious pathogens. So that the parrot does not get scared, it is gradually accustomed to the bath (a container with a slightly larger size from the bird itself is suitable for this purpose). The Ringed parrots is slowly sprayed with water using a spray bottle, and then the filled bath is placed in the cage. If the bird is not scared, but begins to actively master the new thing and splash around in the water, then everything is fine. Some experienced breeders practice bathing directly in the shower while walking around the house.
Character and intelligence, learning abilities
Necklace parrots are trainable due to their high intellectual abilities. Their main feature is that they can learn up to 100 words, which they reproduce perfectly. Birds also easily learn different song tunes, the sounds of other pets, dancing, and singing. Bachelor parrots under the age of 1 year learn faster. If the parrot is more than two years old, then it is useless to train it. He becomes practically unteachable.
But it will not be possible to achieve a positive result from training if the owner is constantly busy. The key to successful training is constant repetition of what has been learned, conducting classes at the same time, and rewarding your pet with treats for each success.
Reproduction
Necklace parrots are bred at home. Among the requirements that are needed for successful breeding of birds are the following:
- A formed pair of parrots over 3 years old (period of puberty).
- Availability of a spacious enclosure.
- Arrangement of a nesting house (0.3×0.3×0.5 m) and the nest itself with a diameter of up to 8 cm.
- Maintaining a comfortable microclimate (air temperature about +22 C, humidity – more than 60%).
- Additional vitamin supplementation for birds during the mating season.
- Minimum human contact.
- During the entire mating season, the animals are given vitamins.
Diseases and prevention
Almost all bird diseases are the result of poor bird care. The most common:
- Smallpox;
- Psittacosis;
- Bird flu;
- Paralysis;
- Helminthiases;
- Feather or tracheal mite;
- Escherichiosis;
- Eversion of paws (more often in young animals).
The main manifestations of the onset of the pathological process:
- refusal of water and food;
- drooping wings;
- ruffled feather cover;
- the appearance of adhesion near the cloaca;
- discharge from the nostrils, paws;
- loose stool.
To prevent pathology in birds, it is recommended to take a number of preventive measures:
- Daily cage cleaning.
- Wash all equipment with soap and soda.
- Replace drinking water every day.
- Product quality control.
- Bathing the pet.
- Extending daylight hours in winter using artificial lighting.
- Vaccination.
- Preventive examinations with a doctor.
Credit: Facebook
How long does a necklace parrot live at home?
Unlike their wild relatives, domestic necklace parrots live up to 50 years with good care. According to experienced breeders, there is evidence that birds in captivity lived up to 70 years.
How to choose a parrot and how much it costs
When choosing a pet among ringed parrots, you should focus on the following factors:
- age (individuals aged 6-7 months are considered the best);
- place of purchase (only a specialized store or nursery guarantees the origin and will issue accompanying documentation);
- health of the parrot (must be active, without any manifestations of illness);
- availability of living space (to accommodate a spacious cage).
When purchasing a chick, you need to weigh your capabilities and calculate the upcoming expenses for a cage with equipment, food, veterinary services, and also take into account that only one bird will cost in the range from 100 to 300 dollars. If material possibilities coincide with the desire to purchase a unique bird, then the Necklace Parrot is the best option. After all, it will suit even beginners who have never encountered bird breeding before.
If you take good care of your Ringed parrots, it will certainly reward you with its singing and dancing, make you happy, and even join in the conversation. Having bought a pair of emerald beauties, you can try yourself as a breeder.
Also cheak: Chinese Ringed Parrot
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