Malabar Parakeets aka Bluewinged Parakeets, Blue Winged Parakeets
Ringneck / Long-tailed Parakeets ... Ringneck Photo Gallery
The Malabar Parakeet is fairly uncommon in the pet trade. It is also known as the Blue-winged Parakeet, (Psittacula columboides) and is endemic to the Western Ghats in Southern India. The range of this species is less than 50,000 square kilometres and hence it is classified as a "restricted range" species by the IUCN. The species probably shares a common ancestor with the Layard's parakeet (Psittacula calthropae) which is endemic to Sri Lanka.
Like all species of parrots found in the Indian subcontinent, this species too is neglected for conservation efforts by the Indian Government and the conservation fraternity. The chief threat to this species, as in the case of the Alexandrine Parakeet is poaching for the illegal pet trade. (Source: Wikipedia.org)
Malabar Parakeets as Pets:
Malabar Parakeets are reported to be moderately noisy, which is to be expected of most parrots. If you have a wild caught individual, they may be shy at first and will take some time to adjust. Like many parrots they seem to enjoy chewing and will often chew lightly on small branches. They are usually most active in, and suited for, larger aviaries.
These parakeets are reported to do well on a variety of foods, including millet spray, fruit, vegetables, seed mixtures (with minimal sunflower), oats, and millets.
Care and Feeding:
Ringnecks love to climb and play and need to be provided with a cage that allows them to move around freely and toys to entertain themselves with. Please refer to the following websites for information:
- Purchasing a Parrot
- The 3 Key Elements That Will Keep Your Pet Bird Happy & Healthy
- Optimal nutrition to keep your bird healthy
- Housing your bird
- Caring for your companion bird
Training and Behavioral Guidance:
Pet parrots generally present challenges, such as excessive chewing - especially at certain stages in their life. They do discover their beaks as method of "disciplining us" once they are out of the "baby stage" and they can generally be somewhat naughty, and it really is important to learn to understand them and to guide their behavior before an undesirable behavior has been established. Undisciplined parrots will chew on electric wiring potentially causing house fires. They regard anything in your home as a "toy" that can be explored and chewed on; destroying items that you may hold dear or are simply valuable. Even a young bird that has not been neglected and abused requires proper guidance; this becomes even more challenging when it involves a rescued bird that may require rehabilitation.
- Web Resources: I put together web resources for you to help you understand your pet bird and properly direct him. Please visit this website for valuable tips on parrot behavior and training.
- If you are, as I am, a visual learner and prefer step-by-step instructions to train your pet, I recommend:
- the Parrot Training Course to teach your parrot to:
- Stop Biting
- Perform Tricks &
- Tame ANY SIZE bird you could possibly own
- and/or try the "Teach Your Parrot to Talk" Training Course.
- the Parrot Training Course to teach your parrot to:
Breeding and Propagation:
The Malabar Parakeet is not easily bred in captivity. Males are also sometimes aggressive to females.
A clutch usually consists of 3 to 4 eggs, which the hen incubates for 23 days. The chicks fledge when they are about 3 weeks old.
In the wild the breeding season of the Malabar Parakeet begins in January and lasts through March. They generally nest in tall trees, taking over the nests of other birds.
Description:
The Malabar Parakeet has beautifully colored plumage. The male's overall color is a bluish-gray with a sometimes reddish-pink tint. One of the things that make this bird so striking is the double ring around the neck of the male. The lower ring is a brilliant light blue, while the top ring is more of a greenish dark gray color. They have green feathers in front of their eyes, which extend towards their beaks. The plumage on their heads is bluer in color than the rest of their bodies, though it gets progressively lighter at the top of the head. Above the nares and on the cheeks the blue color is more distinct. They have a striking bright red beak with a bone colored tip.
The female Malabar Parakeets lack the brilliant blue band around their necks. Males generally have a greener casting to the feathers on their foreheads, and female's heads are gray. The bill of the female is black, as opposed to the brilliantly color bill of the male.
The average adult Malabar Parakeet measures 38 centimeters (15 inches) in length.
Immatures can be distinguished from adults by their orange beaks. They have plumage similar to that of the female, after their first molt they get their adult plumage, and their beaks will change to red for males and black for females.
Distribution / Habitat:
The Malabar Parakeet is native to India where it is still fairly common, though their numbers have decreased as their native habitat is being slowly destroyed. They are most common in Southwest India, Western Ghats strip south-western India, north to Bombay, south to Kerala. Because the Malabar Parakeet is known to raid crops in some areas and can be injurious to orchards, they are considered pests in some locations.
These parakeets are social birds and live in small groups composed of four to five individuals. On rare occasions they may be observed in small flocks. They are fairly noisy in the wild and are often heard before they are seen. They generally make their homes atop tall trees in humid deciduous and evergreen forests.
In their natural environment these birds have been observed eating berries and other fruits such as figs, flowers, leaf buds, pollen, seeds, small nuts, and nectar.
Species: Scientific: Psittacula columboides ... English: Malabar Parakeet ... Dutch: Malabarparkiet ... German: Taubensittich ... French: Perruche de Malabar 
CITES II: Fairly common in aviculture, but endangered in the wild due to loss of habitat
Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots
If you would like to add to or correct any of the above information, or would like to share with web visitors your own experiences, please e-mail the webmaster.
Photo contributions are welcome!
