On a hot summer afternoon in Goa, when most of the bird activity comes to a halt it will not be surprising to find a big flock of Rose-ringed Parakeets rummaging around a fruiting Peepal tree or Mango tree, squawking loudly and creating a mess by dropping more fruits than they eat. Rose-ringed Parakeets are one of the most common and widely spread parakeets in the country. In Goa they are well distributed right from the coastal plains where they prefer coconut palm groves to the deciduous and semi-evergreen forests at the foothills of the Western Ghats. They are very rarely found at higher elevation in the Ghats where other species of Parakeets dominate.
The Rose-ringed Parakeet is sexually dimorphic, that is the male and female look different from each other. The adult male has a red-black neck ring while the female has no neck ring. Immature birds of this species too don’t have a ring. They are medium sized birds about one and a half feet from beak to tail tip.
Today from genetic studies, it is known that there are two subspecies of the Rose-ringed Parakeets that are found in India. The Boreal Rose-ringed Parakeet is found in North India and the Indian Rose-ringed Parakeet is found in peninsular India.
The native range of this species is in India, parts of South-east Asia and Africa but since the Rose-ringed Parakeets are very famous in pet trade for their ability to mimic human voices, they have been taken to almost all parts of the world and have been released in a wide range of habitats around the world, giving them an environment with few predators and their preferred diet of seeds, nuts, fruits, and berries being available from local gardens. Their adaptation to cold winters in the Himalayas has allowed them to easily withstand the cold in their introduced ranges.
Rose-ringed Parakeets are fruit and seed eaters usually feeding on buds, fruits, vegetables, nuts, berries, and seeds. In many places in India they are considered a pest as they forage in farmlands and orchards, causing extensive damage. Dr. Salim Ali has written extensively on the extent of damage and loss incurred to Indian farmers due to the Rose-ringed Parakeets. Because of this destructive behavior, they are extensively hunted in many parts of the country. Adding to that, their popularity in pet trade has made them the prime target of bird trappers.
This species usually starts courtship in early winter and the males have a very elaborate courtship ritual which has been extensively described by Dr. Salim Ali. Their breeding season stretches from January to April. They nest in hollows in trees mostly those unused by woodpeckers. They also nest in holes within rocks and buildings. The female incubates the eggs while both the parents take part in feeding and caring for the young ones. International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed this species as least concerned for conservation prioritization.
Image Credit: Cecelia Menezes
