It is endemic to the indian subcontinent and was once thought to be conspecific with the blossom headed parakeet psittacula roseata but was later elevated to a full species. Parakeets 101 must read to keep parakeets as pet in 2020. The plum headed is not difficult to care for in captivity, but if they are kept singly as pets, they require a lot of attention to maintain their tameness. The breeding season in india is mainly from december to april and july to august. Introduction parrots and their relatives have such a long history as pets the first written record of a parrot in captivity is that of a plum headed parakeet in greece in 400 bc that it is easy to forget how spectacularly adapted they are for life in the wild. This asian parrot makes a good pet, as it is less aggressive and possessive than some other parrot species, and it gets along well with others. Grass parakeets their care and breeding the grass parakeets are a group of seven species of small parakeets originating from australia. Breeding your pet parakeets can be easier than it seems. Like other parrots, plumheaded parakeets do best in captivity when.
The floors are sand and two perches are provided one at either end of the aviaries which face due north. Keep reading for everything you need to know about the life span. Some parakeet breeders place wooden inserts into the bottom of their nest boxes to prevent splay legs. Is a blossomheaded parakeet the right pet bird for you. The natural history and captive care of the plumheaded parakeet. These birds look so similar that often the two are mistaken for the same species. During the breeding season, february through may and again in august through. A good pair bond will usually result in better breeding results. Plumhead mutations breeders of plumhead parakeets in the uk. The moustached parakeet also seems to be found in a few color mutations. The species is suitable as both a companion bird or an aviary bird. In captivity it can learn to mimic beeps and short whistling tunes, and can talk very well. Breeding your plum headed parakeet breeding these birds is not difficult but they tend to require a bit more privacy.
Books on parakeets a list of books i have discovered about the care and life of parakeets and budgies. They have dark green wings and a reddish brown stripe on the lesser coverlets, and the rest of the body is light green. The female, also a stunning bird, has a greypurple head and lime green body and is normally a bit smaller in size. To make your parakeets breed is not a difficult job. It is less demanding of an owners time than many other parrots, but it still needs regular interaction to remain socialized. In it he describes caring for and training parakeets, including teaching them to talk. The plum headed parakeet psittacula cyanocephala is a bird that comes from the indian subcontinent where it lives in flocks. Derbyan, malabar, slatyheaded, malayan longtailed and blossomheaded parrots. The plumheaded parakeet is a parakeet in the family psittacidae. Ml media collection catalogue 111477, plumheaded parakeet psittacula cyanocephala, macaulay, linda, nepal, mar.
Care and breeding if you want an aviculture subject that is quiet and undemanding then you cant go pas the scarletchested parrot neophem splendida a member of the neohem grass parrot genus. Proper nutrition and a good nest box will stimulate your parakeets urge to breed, so if you dedicate yourself to your pets. The plum head has been bred quite well and there should be a fair number around. To ensure breeding success, each pair is best provides its. Though im not here to pass judgement, i will say that many people believe this is not a good practice. The body feathers of the blossom headed parakeet are lime green with the wings showcasing a richer green mixed with aqua blue. Well, you may become a wonder to hear like this pet bird. As per our research this bird has been in best avian pet category for centuries. Birds in captivity must also be given this time before they are made to breed. They fly swiftly with twists and turns accompanied by their distinctive calls. They tend to be found in forests and open woodland from the foot of the himalaya mountains right down to sri lanka though not in the driest areas of western india. Refer to references listed on book references web page. A female will typically produce 46 eggs which she alone will incubate for 2124 days. The blossom headed parakeet is an asiatic parrot species found throughout india and southeast asia.
Rehome buy and sell, and give an animal a forever home with preloved. The plumheaded parakeet is an asiatic parrot species native to the indian subcontinent. Many fruits, vegetables, greens, green leafy vegetables, seeding grasses and other seeds as well as parrot pellets and dry dog food can be offered. The male plum headed parakeet develops his deep plum colouring and neck ring once he reaches maturity around 2 years of age. Our unique pricing algorithm classifies vehicles according to a wide variety of factors, estimates the market price for this specification of vehicle and displays this pricing tag when sufficient data is available but cant take into account the sellers reason for sale, vehicle modifications or condition. Parakeet questions and answers parakeet breeding in captivity a visitor writes in.
Plumheaded parakeets are very active birds in the wild. These birds should be allowed a minimum of 3 to 4 hours outside the cage each day, in a safe, birdproofed play area. Today i would like to pass along some information concerning the natural history of these fascinating birds, with the hope that it. They are avid chewers and toys must be provided to prevent destructive behavior. Their small size, brilliant colors and ability to talk make parakeets great pets for busy families. It is endemic to the indian subcontinent and was once thought to be conspecific with the blossomheaded parakeet but was later elevated to a full species. Parakeets, also called budgerigars or budgies melopsitticus undulatus, are highly regarded as pets. Plum headed parakeet is an indian bird that bears a scientific name psittacula cyanocephala is a parakeet endemic to the indian states. Plumheaded parakeets are found in flocks, the males having a pinkish purple head and the females, a grey head. The plum headed parakeet is a mediumsized parrot of striking beauty.
Proper nesting material, such as pine shavings, should line the nest box. Hopefully this list can help current and future bird owners. Plumheaded parakeet full profile, history, and care. The females, on the other hand, have a characteristic bluishgray head, and. Plumheaded parakeet facts, pet care, temperament, pictures. Behaviour of plum headed parakeet plum headed parakeets are found in flocks, the males having a pinkish purple head and the females, a grey head. They are infrequently seen in captivity outside of india, but are considered to be reasonably established and secure in aviculture. This bird is now commonly known as the plum headed parakeet psittacula cyanocephala, like the one pictured above.
Unfortunately, this lovely bird proved difficult to breed in captivity in the era before modern techniques and. In captivity, these birds must have an exercise and play area. Their tails make up a large part of their size, and when in flight yellow feathers can be seen under the tail and wing feathers. Owing to their similar appearance, these birds are often confused with plum headed parakeets, but theyre not the same breed. These parakeets belong to a family of popular pet parrots, and they can be found all over the world. Plumheaded parakeet psittacula cyanocephala parrot. Asiatic parrots fit into their lifestyle and time programme and the basis of this book relates their. Immature blossom headed parakeets, slaty headed and plum headed parrots are almost identical so if you purchase young birds, be sure to do so only from a reputable breeder. Find local parakeets in birds in the uk and ireland. Only one pair of parakeets is installed in each aviary. Plumheaded parakeet the avicultural society of nsw.
The plum headed female has a gray head and the males head is grayish purple or plum colored. These birds breed best in large suspended cages above eye level or larger aviaries because it allows them privacy and room. The plum headed parakeet or plum headed parakeet psittacula cyanocephala has the forecrown, lores, cheeks and earcoverts bright red malva, fading to blue on lower cheeks, the crown and back neck, with black stripe mustache forming a collar black narrow, then bordered by a wide swath of pale green. You may have a color mutation of plum headed parakeet on your hands, if you dont know the birds origins and parents i would think the best way to prove out this mutation would be to retain those babies, track their colors and track their offsprings colors. If you recently got a budgie melopsittacus undulatus or have had yours for a while and would like to know how much more time youll be able to spend with it, you might be asking yourself. This dimorphic species is usually seen living in flocks with the males possessing a red head, a black stripe on the chin, and a black neck collar. In the wild, parakeets are found in only the greenyellow plumage. The plumheaded parakeet is a colorful, mediumsized parrot that is both. They are the bourkes, splendid, turquosine, elegant, bluewing, rock and orangebellied. A cage for a pair of breeding parakeets should be a minimum size of 20 by 20 by 20 inches and should contain a wooden nest box that is at least 12 by 12 inches. These parakeets are rare and expensive and require experienced breeders. Always supervise this free period to prevent accidents and injuries. The female parakeet usually lays between 6 and 8 eggs, incubating them. In the wild, parakeets will breed after heavy rains that will increase the available food sources.
I am currently trying to breed pied combinations, and plumheads with more red on them with the use of opaline. The plumheaded parakeet male has a plum colored head with a narrow, black collar around its neck followed by a bluishgreen band. In the wild, they do not start to breed from such a young age and wait to be at least 10 months to a year before beginning to mate. Plumheaded parakeet psittacula cyanocephala exotic birds. Plumheaded parakeet psittacula cyanocephala birds of the world. Plumheaded parrots regularly reproduce in captivity, but are not considered easy breeders.
Breeding these birds is not difficult but they tend to require a bit more privacy like their cousins, the african ringnecks. References plumheaded parakeet psittacula cyanocephala. An aviary diet for the plum headed parrot can include a basic seed mix of grey sunflower, budgie mix and oats. The female may become aggressive during the breeding season. The best results will be had by housing a pair alone in an outdoor aviary. The roman scholar, pliny the elder, wrote one of the first bird care books in 72 a. Fledgling slaty headed and fledgling plum headed parrots are almost identical so only purchase young birds from a reputable breeder or reputable bird dealer. Read on to find out what sets the blossom headed parakeet apart. The natural history and captive care of the plumheaded. A list of parakeets for sale including amboina king parakeet, australian king parakeet, baraband parakeet, bourke parakeet, budgerigar, crimson wing parakeet, grass elegant parakeet, grass scarlet chested splendid parakeet, grass turquoisine parakeet, grey cheek parakeet, lineolated parakeet, moustached parakeet, pennants parakeet, plum head parakeet, princess of wales parakeet, red. Plumheaded parakeet with fish image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by nevit dilmen.
The blossom headed parakeet is one of the little gems of the psittacula genus, an elegant beauty with a musical voice that has been kept as a pet for many centuries. If you provide the right conditions for your pet, your parakeets will breed successfully. The are slightly smaller than the similar plum headed parakeet, and are far less frequently kept in captivity. This site should help people understand the differences between the colours in plumheads, as some are similar.
Parakeets do not build nests, but lay their eggs in a wooden nest box provided for breeding. The plumheaded parakeet pauline james in captivity in the uk, we tend to think of these diminutive fastflying parakeets as generally being of a nervous disposition, flightly and even rather delicate and maybe not a practical choice for the average birdkeeper. Plum head mutations page 3 parrot forum parrot owner. Site parrots of the world, forshaw and cooper, 1989. They would be reasonably secure in australian aviaries, but need watching because in the wrong hands we could lose them quite easily. Observations on the breeding behaviour of ringnecked parakeets psittacula krameri. It occurs from the northeastern states of india, into myanmar, thailand, cambodia, laos and vietnam. Unfortunately, plum headed parrots are not as abundant in captivity, so if possible, it would be better to find a male plum headed parakeet. All plumheaded parakeets have a lime green body and a blue long tail tipped with white. Cock plumheaded parakeet and mate of the hen pictured above.
It has disjunct native ranges in africa and south asia, and is now introduced into many other parts of the world where feral populations have established themselves and are bred for the exotic pet trade. When exotic beauty meets with hardiness you get this gorgeous bird known as plum headed parakeet. The slaty headed parrot will hybridize with the plum headed parrot. Blossom headed parakeets have pink heads while their cousins the plum headed parakeets have a purple and pink head. Plum headed parrot or psittacula cyanocephala cyanocephala. The roseringed parakeet psittacula krameri, also known as the ringnecked parakeet, is a mediumsized parrot in the genus psittacula, of the family psittacidae. Parakeets, types of parakeets, parakeet information. The plumheaded parakeet wings have maroon patches and dark hues of green and blue. The finschs parakeet, also known as the grey headed parakeet psittacula finschii is closely related to the slaty headed parakeet described above which together form a superspecies. The birds become interested in breeding usually in september or late august and are provided with a short log about 12 high and about 45 in diameter with 3 of rotted wood in this. The plum headed parakeet is a species of the parrot family, native to the indian subcontinent. The plumheaded parakeet psittacula cyanocephala is a parakeet in the family psittacidae. Plum headed parakeets are found in flocks, the males having a pinkish purple head and the females, a grey head.
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