3-1-2016 HONG KONG - ALEXANDRINE PARAKEET (Psittacula eupatria)

The Alexandrine parakeet (Psittacula eupatria) is a medium-sized parrot from South and Southeast Asia. It is named after Alexander the Great, who transported numerous birds from Punjab to various European and Mediterranean countries and regions, where they were prized by royalty, nobility, and warlords.

The Alexandrine parakeet is predominantly green with a light blue-grey sheen on the cheeks and nape (back of the neck), a yellow-green abdomen, a red patch on the shoulders, and a massive red beak 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. 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.

Alexandrine parakeets are widespread in South and South-East Asia where they live in forests, woodlands, agricultural lands, and mangrove forests.

Alexandrine parakeets are diurnal social birds. They usually live in small flocks but form larger groups in areas where food is abundant or at communal roosts. They are very noisy and loud making a variety of calls, including a ringing 'trrrieuw', loud 'kree-aar' or 'keeak', deep 'klak-klak-klak-klak', and resonant 'gr-aak'. Their calls are usually deep, harsh, and very resonant. Their voice becomes harsher when alarmed, and they shriek loudly when mobbing predators. Flocks occasionally excitedly vocalize together. Alexandrine parakeets are even known to imitate human speech in captivity.

Alexandrine parakeets breed from November to April. They usually nest in tree hollows, but sometimes use tree holes excavated by themselves or cracks in buildings. Females lay 2 to 4 white, blunt oval-shaped eggs, measuring 27 to 34 mm (1.1 to 1.3 in). The average incubation period is 24 days. The chicks hatch blind and helpless and fledge at about 7 weeks of age. They are dependent on their parents until 3 to 4 months of age.