Alexandrine Parakeet

The Alexandrine Parakeet is one of the largest parakeets in the genus Psittacula, a bright green bird with a long pointed tail and a notably heavy, hooked red bill tipped yellow. Its common name references Alexander the Great, whose armies are said to have helped spread knowledge of these birds from South Asia to Europe in ancient times.

A maroon-red patch on the shoulder (lesser wing coverts) is present in both sexes and is a key distinguishing feature from the smaller Rose-ringed Parakeet. Adult males also show a black chin stripe and a pink-and-black neck ring similar to the Rose-ringed Parakeet's, but on a considerably larger bird.

Key field marks

• Large size with a long tail and a heavy red bill (larger and more hooked than Rose-ringed Parakeet's)
• Maroon-red patch on the shoulder, present in both sexes
• Adult male: black chin stripe and pink neck ring; female lacks the ring
• Bluish-grey wash sometimes visible on the nape

Similar species

The Rose-ringed Parakeet is notably smaller, has a thinner bill, and lacks the maroon shoulder patch. The Plum-headed Parakeet is much smaller with a purplish head rather than plain green.

Alexandrine Parakeets range across the Indian subcontinent from Pakistan through India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bangladesh, into Myanmar and parts of Southeast Asia. They inhabit open forest, forest edges, farmland, and increasingly urban parks and gardens, generally at lower elevations.

The species is largely resident, though local movements track food availability, and it has also established feral populations in some cities outside its native range through escaped cage birds.

Voice

A loud, resonant "kee-ak" call, deeper and harsher than the Rose-ringed Parakeet's, often given in flight.

Feeding

Alexandrine Parakeets feed on seeds, fruit, nuts, blossoms, and grain, foraging in the canopy and occasionally raiding orchards and crop fields in flocks.

Nesting and breeding

They nest in large tree cavities, often reusing the same hole in successive years, and lay 2-4 eggs incubated mainly by the female. Habitat loss and capture for the cage-bird trade have contributed to population declines, and the species is considered Near Threatened.