Alexandrine Parakeet

Distribution:

Various species spread throughout India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, South East Asia and nearby islands

Habitat:

They live in forests, woodlands, agricultural lands and mangrove forests at elevations of up to 900 m

Diet:

They eat a variety of wild and cultivated seeds, buds, fruits and nuts.

Gestation:

They typically breed from November to April in their native habitat. They naturally nest in tree hollows, but will sometimes use cracks in buildings. Females lay 2 to 4 white, blunt oval-shaped eggs and incubated for ~24 days. The chicks fledge at about 7 weeks and are dependent on their parents until 3 to 4 months of age.

Longevity:

They can live for about 30 years in ideal circumstances.

Predators:

Larger predator birds, large lizards, mammals. As a group, though, they will mob and attack predators in defense of their flock.

Conservation Status:

Near threatened.

General:

The Alexandrine parakeet is a medium-sized parrot and is named after Alexander the Great.

They have established feral populations around the world, where they live alongside feral populations of its close relative, the rose-ringed parakeet.

The Alexandrine parakeet is one of the largest parakeets, measuring 56 to 62 cm from the top of the head to the tip of the tail and weighing 200 to 300 g.

Adults are sexually dimorphic. Adult males have a black stripe across their lower cheeks and a pink band on their nape. Adult females lack both a black stripe across their lower cheeks and a pink band on their nape. The young are similar in appearance to adult females but have shorter tails.

Flocks can cause extensive damage to ripening fruits and grain crops like maize and jowar. They usually live in small flocks, but will form larger groups in areas where food is abundant or at communal roosts.

They have a variety of calls, including a ringing trrrieuw, loud kree-aar or keeak, deep klak-klak-klak-klak and resonant gr-aak. Their voices become harsher when alarmed, and they shriek loudly when mobbing predators.

They are threatened due to habitat loss, persecution and excessive capture to cater to the demands of the illegal wildlife trade.

Birds