| Alexandrine parakeet | |
|---|---|
_male.jpg) | |
| MaleP. e. eupatria Sri Lanka | |
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| Female Istanbul,Turkey | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Psittaciformes |
| Family: | Psittaculidae |
| Genus: | Psittacula |
| Species: | P. eupatria |
| Binomial name | |
| Psittacula eupatria (Linnaeus, 1766) | |
 | |
| Native range ofPsittacula eupatria | |
| Synonyms | |
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TheAlexandrine parakeet (Psittacula eupatria), also known as theAlexandrine parrot, is a medium-sizedparrot in thegenusPsittacula of thefamilyPsittaculidae, native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is named afterAlexander the Great, who transported numerous birds fromPunjab to variousEuropean andMediterranean countries and regions, where they were prized by theroyalty,nobility andwarlords.[2][3]
The Alexandrine parakeet has establishedferalpopulations inTurkey,[4]Iraq,Kuwait,Saudi Arabia,Bahrain,Qatar, theUnited Arab Emirates,Iran, andPakistan, where it lives alongside feral populations of its close relative, therose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri).[1][2][5][6][7]
The Alexandrine parakeet was first described by FrenchzoologistMathurin Jacques Brisson asPsittaca Ginginiana or "La Perruche de Gingi" (The Gingi's Parakeet) in 1760; after the town ofGingee in southeasternIndia, which was a French outpost then. The birds may, however, merely have been held in captivity there.[8]Carl Linnaeus redescribed the Alexandrine parakeet in 1766 asPsittacus eupatria.[9]
Thegenus namePsittacula is adiminutive of theLatin wordpsittacus meaning "parrot", and thespecific nameeupatria (εὖπατριά) is derived from theancient Greekeu- meaning "well" andpatriá meaning "descent".[10][11][12]
In 2019, a genetic study revived the genusPalaeornis, formerly viewed as a synonym of the current genusPsittacula. Some organisations – including the IUCN – have accepted the new taxonomy.[1]If this were to be taken into account, this could mean that the Alexandrine parakeet is the only living member of the now-revived genus.
Genetic analysis of themitochondrialcytochrome b sequences ofPsittacula parakeets has shown that the Alexandrine parakeet diverged from thelineage that gave rise to the rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri) and theMauritius parakeet (Psittacula eques) about 5 million years ago.[13]
The Alexandrine parakeet is one of the largestparakeets, measuring 56 to 62 cm (22 to 24 in) from the top of the head to the tip of the tail and weighing 200 to 300 g (7.1 to 10.6 oz). The tail measures 28 to 35 cm (11 to 14 in).[2][14]It is predominantly green with a light blue-grey sheen on the cheeks and nape (back of the neck), yellow-greenabdomen, red patch on the shoulders and massive redbeak with yellow tips. The upper-side of the tail passes from green at the top to blue further down, and is yellow at the tip. The underside of the tail is yellow.[2][14][15]
Adults aresexually dimorphic. Adult males have a black stripe across their lower cheeks and a pink band on their nape. Adult females lack both a black cheek stripe and a pink nape band. The young are similar in appearance to adult females but have shorter tails.[2][16]
Five subspecies of the Alexandrine parakeet are currently recognized[2][16]
| Subspecies | Distribution | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Alexandrine parakeet(P. e. eupatria) [main type-group] | Western India,South India andSri Lanka. | 'Nominate' subspecies: Main type-(sub)species for the whole group. |
| Large Indian parakeet(P. e. nipalensis) | EasternAfghanistan,Pakistan,North India,Central India,East India,Nepal, andBhutan. | It is larger than the nominate subspecies, and more greyish-green. The back of the head and cheeks are tinged blue. Adult males have a broader black stripe across the lower cheek. |
| Large Burmese parakeet(P. e. avensis) | Northeast India,Bangladesh, andMyanmar. | It has a smaller beak than the nominate subspecies. Males look likeP. e. nipalensis, however the neck and underparts are more yellowish and there is a narrow blue stripe on the hindneck. |
| Large Andaman parakeet(P. e. magnirostris) | Andaman Islands andCoco Islands. | It is slightly larger than the nominate subspecies, and has a larger beak and brighter shoulder patch. Males have a narrow blue stripe above the nape band. |
| Thai rose-ringed parakeet(P. e. siamensis) | Vietnam,Cambodia,Laos, andThailand. | It is smaller than the nominate subspecies and has a paler shoulder patch. It also has a yellowish face and neck. Males look likeP. e. avensis, however the back of the head and nape are tinged blue. |
The Alexandrine parakeet lives inforests,woodlands,agricultural lands andmangrove forests at elevations of up to 900 m (3,000 ft). It eats a variety of wild and cultivated seeds,buds, fruits andnuts. Flocks can cause extensive damage toripening fruits and graincrops likemaize andjowar. It usually lives in smallflocks, but forms larger groups in areas where food is abundant or atcommunal roosts.[2][15]
The Alexandrine parakeet has a variety of calls, including a ringingtrrrieuw, loudkree-aar orkeeak, deepklak-klak-klak-klak and resonantgr-aak. Its calls are usually deeper, harsher and more resonant than those of the rose-ringed parakeet. Its voice becomes harsher when alarmed, and it shrieks loudly whenmobbing predators. Flocks occasionally excitedlyvocalize together. It is known to imitate human speech in captivity.[2][15][16][17]
Alexandrine parakeets breed from November to April in their native range. They usually nest intree hollows, but sometimes use tree holes excavated by themselves or cracks in buildings. Females lay 2 to 4 white, blunt oval-shapedeggs, measuring 27 to 34 mm (1.1 to 1.3 in). The averageincubation period is 24 days. The chicks fledge at about 7 weeks of age, and are dependent on their parents until 3 to 4 months of age.[2][15]
Alexandrine parakeets are relatively popular pet birds due to their long lifespan in captivity (up to 40 years),[18]playful behaviour and ability to mimic human speech. Alexander the Great is thought to have kept one as a pet. They are one of the most sought-after cage birds in the Indian market. According to CITES trade data, at least57772 Alexandrine parakeets were imported into countries outside their native range between 1981 and 2014.[1][3][5][19]
Color variants including lutino, albino, and blue are well-established in captivity.
TheWorld Parrot Trust recommends that captive Alexandrine parrots be kept in a metal or welded mesh enclosure of minimum length 4.5 metres (15 ft).[18]
The Alexandrine parakeet is listed asnear threatened by theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) because of its steep population decline in its nativerange due tohabitat loss, persecution and excessivecapture to cater to the demands of the illegalwildlife trade. It is sporadic in South India, uncommon in Bangladesh, and declining inNorth Bengal and certain parts of Sri Lanka. It has suffered the greatest population declines in theSindh andPunjab provinces of Pakistan, Laos, northwestern and southwestern Cambodia, and Thailand.[1][20][21]
The sale of Alexandrine parakeets is not banned in Pakistan, and they can be found being openly sold in the markets ofLahore andRawalpindi. Their sale is banned in India, and yet they are sold in broad daylight in urban bird markets, suggesting that the Indian government is allocating insufficient resources for their protection.[19][21]
Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Thailand,Mongolia and Iran have issuedpostage stamps depicting the Alexandrine parakeet.[22][23][24][25]
