The necklace parrot (another name is ringed) is currently a very common pet. It got its name thanks to a peculiar coloring and the presence of a characteristic strip - a “necklace” on the neck.
The size of these birds reaches 50 cm, the length of the wings is 16-17 cm. The plumage is bright: yellow-green, emerald green with bluish feathers on the back of the head. In males, a dark stripe resembling a tie passes around the neck. And females most often do not have such a “necklace”. The tail of these birds is long, stepped.
Characteristically, necklace parrots have weak legs and run very poorly on the ground. To move along the branches, they often use the beak.
There are a dozen subspecies, two of which are already completely extinct. The most common include the following:
- Alexander 's large necklace parrot is the largest representative of this species. Its length reaches 48-50 cm. The color is grassy-green with a bluish tint, on the neck there is a pink strip and a black “tie”, on each wing there is a burgundy red spot. These birds live in India, Burma, Indochina and Sri Lanka. The parrot bears its name on behalf of Alexander the Great. According to legend, the soldiers of the great commander brought these birds with them, returning from Asian campaigns.
- Cramer necklace parrot - outwardly resembles the previous view, but the size is much smaller, and there are no burgundy red spots on the wings. These parrots have a black beak and a red beak, and orange rings around the eyes. This species lives in two parts of the world at once - in South America and in Africa. The Cramer Necklace Parrot acclimatized well in Western Europe. Its nests can be found in large Dutch and German cities.
- The pink-breasted parrot - its body is dark green, and the chest and top of the abdomen are pink. Head - gray-blue color, on the neck - black "necklace". This is a small bird up to 40 cm long. There are six varieties of pink-chested parrots on the islands of Kalimantan and Java. These birds are not suitable for home breeding, therefore, they are most often caught by adults.
- The Chinese parrot has a grassy-green plumage with a grayish tint. He has a gray-blue head with a “bandage” on his forehead and a wide black “necklace” on his neck. In size, Chinese parrots are significantly superior to pink-chested. They live in southeast Tibet, Indochina, southwest China.
- The common - headed parrot is the most beautiful of the representatives of birds of this species. The plumage is saturated green with an olive tint. Males have a cherry-red head and neck, and a black tie on the neck. This is the smallest of the parrot necklaces - its length is only 35 cm.
- Red-headed parrot - has a green plumage. Head - bright red , gray-blue on the sides. On the shoulder blades there is a reddish-brown spot. Small bird - up to 35 cm in length. Lives in South China and India.
- The Himalayan parakeet is a fairly large bird (up to 40 cm in length) with a dark gray head, a black “tie” on its neck and red stripes on its wings. You can meet this species in the mountain forests of North India and Indochina.
- Pigeon parrot - characterized by the gray color of the head, neck, top of the back and lower body. And on his stomach and near his eyes he has yellow-green feathers. There are two colored “necklaces” on the neck - black and blue-green. This bird lives in Southwest India.
- Long-tailed parrot - green with a yellowish tint in the lower part of the body. His head is red, on the neck - a wide black stripe. It lives on Sumatra, Kalimantan and the Malacca Peninsula.
Maintenance and care
Necklace parrots quickly get used to home conditions. These birds learn to speak well, memorizing up to 60 words. They have a sharp, loud voice.
They are fed a mixture of canary seed, oats, millet and wheat - about 35 grams per day. Without fail, the diet of these birds includes vegetables, fruits, berries, nuts, greens.
Necklace parrots live with proper care for about 10-15 years. They need a spacious cage, and for breeding - a nesting house. Humidity should be high, and temperature should be medium.
Necklace parrots are monogamous and form one pair for the rest of their lives.