Plum-Headed Parakeet: Information, Photos, Character, Meals & Care Information

The Plum-Headed Parakeet, Psittacula cyanocephala, combines a superb, unique look with hardiness and an interesting persona. Though lively and inquisitive, their calm and relaxed demeanor makes these South Asian natives great pets and aviary additions.

Learn on to seek out out why they’re one of the crucial well-liked hen pet selections on the planet.

Species Overview

Medium-sized parrots of singular magnificence, Plum Headed Parakeets make good pets, being much less aggressive and possessive than different species, and getting alongside nicely with others. Whereas much less demanding of householders’ time than different parrots, they nonetheless require common interplay to take care of socialization.

These social birds can reside alone or in teams. House owners generally preserve 2 to 4 parakeets collectively in a single enclosure. Good household pets, Plum Headed Parakeets thrive in conditions the place a number of persons are offering socialization and enrichment.

Plum-Headed Parakeet Traits

Historical past & Pure Habitat

Plum Headed Parakeets originate from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, and they are often discovered within the woodlands and forests of almost any well-wooded space aside from the excessive Himalayan mountains. Within the few instances through which they’ve been transplanted, Plum Headed Parakeets have succeeded in a wide range of climates all around the world, having even been identified to determine small breeding populations.

Whereas wild numbers have step by step decreased with habitat loss, Plum-Headed Parakeets nonetheless thrive and aren’t threatened by extinction.

Issues to Know When Proudly owning a Plum-Headed Parakeet

Temperament

Plum Headed Parakeets are identified to be light, social, and affectionate, notably with their house owners. With strangers, nevertheless, they are often reasonably aloof and unresponsive. Comparatively quiet for parrots, they could be a good selection for these in flats or different shut quarters with neighbors.

If hand-fed from infancy, Plum-Headed Parakeets can develop to be fairly tame and develop sturdy bonds with their house owners. Whereas they’re usually much less demanding of devoted proprietor interplay than most parrots, a certain quantity of normal interplay stays essential to maintain bonding.

If you’re inexperienced with Psittacula species, it is advisable to bear in mind that they typically bear a “bluffing” part throughout adolescence. Throughout bluffing, you’ll seemingly see elevated aggression, together with hissing, biting, and total resistance to interplay. Bluffing is strictly hormone-related and by no means an indicator of the hen’s eventual persona. It’s important throughout this time to disregard the hen’s cues and proceed common bonding behaviors, regardless of the response.

It solely lasts a number of months, so it’s not that huge a deal. Plum-Headed Parakeets which are dealt with each day will keep tame and proceed to bond nicely as soon as their hormones have stabilized.

Sounds, Speech & Vocalizations

Plum Headed Parakeets have well-known speaking talents, which may embody mimicking and reproducing human speech. They be taught nicely and may imitate all types of phrases and phrases precisely, due to intelligence and a eager sense of listening to. Plum Headed Parakeets are fast learners with superior reminiscence retention and are identified to acknowledge sounds and reproduce them simply.

If correctly educated and socialized, can be taught to affiliate phrases with particular conditions or actions, and reply in flip. Additionally, vocalization is numerous and may incorporate a variety of whistles, chirps, squawks, and different sounds. Their distinct singing model is exclusive from different parrots.

Plum-Headed Parakeet Look

Plum Headed Parakeets are a few of the most superbly coloured birds you may personal.

They’re sexually dimorphic, that’s their look will differ by gender.

Males have red-colored heads transferring to gray or, clearly, plum, to a bluish-purple in the back of the top, again of the neck, and cheeks. The male is definitely acknowledged by a slim black neck collar and a black chin stripe extending to the decrease jaw. In addition they can present a pink shoulder patch.

Females exhibit a bluish-gray head with no black neck band, however reasonably a gradient pale-yellow collar. Youthful females have inexperienced heads and yellow mandibles. Each sexes have lengthy, slim, bluish tails shading to white on the very tip. The irises are black, and the legs are pale grey.

Caring for the Plum-Headed Parakeet

Plum-Headed Parakeets have a usually relaxed nature, permitting them to usually coexist peacefully with different birds in shared quarters reminiscent of aviaries. Like different species, although, they will turn out to be aggressive throughout breeding intervals, particularly females, so they need to be monitored. Momentary separation could also be obligatory.

In captivity, they could exhibit preliminary shyness and timidity, though this may be overcome with common, constant coaching and day by day interplay. Try to be conscious that, regardless of being sociable, they often aren’t keen on being cuddled by their house owners. Slightly, yours will in all probability be completely content material to easily sit in your shoulder and chat with you.

Maintaining your Plum-Headed Parakeet’s plumage wholesome and clear is pretty easy. A flat container filled with water must be saved out there for normal bathing. Additionally, a bathe sprayer can be utilized to wash them two or thrice weekly. You must also have particular grooming instruments and gadgets to trim beaks and nails as obligatory.

Eating regimen & Diet

Within the wild, these birds principally exist on fruit and seeds. In captivity, a weight loss program consisting of high-quality seed and pellet combine, reminiscent of a great small parrot feed mix, supplemented day by day with contemporary, bird-safe vegetables and fruit will do them nicely.

A Plum Headed Parakeet will eat as much as 1 tablespoon of meals per day. They do get pleasure from selection, so you may experiment with meals like sprouts, leafy greens, and berries.

Branches from budding apple, pear, peach, and different fruit timber will please them, in addition to preserve them occupied for hours. Plum-Headed Parakeets like to carry their meals in a single foot whereas perching with the opposite. Reducing vegetables and fruit into cubes of roughly 1 sq. inch will permit them to indulge on this.

Cage & Housing Necessities

Since they’re fast, energetic flyers, Plum Headed Parakeets do nicely in bigger cages or aviaries. A cage minimal of 40 x 20 x 32 inches is sweet to deal with a pair. Two softwood perches of a few half inch in diameter positioned at completely different heights within the cage present good roosting. Cage equipment reminiscent of toys, meals dishes, and perches must be saved to a minimal, so there’s loads of room to maneuver with out crowding. Be certain that the cage is in a location away from drafts or dangerous fumes.

Branches from non-toxic timber must be offered for pure perches and to supply a chance to chew on bark, leaves, and seeds, which they not solely love, however additional offers wonderful beak train. These birds like to climb and are skillful, swish fliers. Thus, they do greatest in out of doors or indoor aviaries, to allow them to keep lively and have an fascinating atmosphere.  Whereas Plum-Headed Parakeets can get used to life in a big cage, they nonetheless can get sluggish in the event that they don’t have day by day train out of the cage.

Though they’re present in tropic-like habitats, Plum-Headed Parakeets additionally continuously inhabit greater altitudes all through the Subcontinental area. You could be stunned at how well-adapted they’re to cooler temperatures. Out of doors housing can typically work out nicely if warmth is offered to their house.

Your Plum-Headed Parakeet is mild-mannered and usually will get alongside nicely in teams and with such neighbors as Java Rice Birds, Chinese language Quail, bigger finches, and related birds. Breeding pairs, nevertheless, are greatest saved alone.

Train

As famous, it’s endorsed that your Plum-Headed Parakeets spend time outdoors of the enclosure day-after-day. They want the room to stretch out and use their wings, and this offers a variety of the train they want.

Contained in the enclosure, parakeets may also be supplied with climbing and chewing toys for extra train and enrichment all through their day. Some examples of those are ropes, swings, and ladders.

Parakeets thrive on constant enrichment and interplay. As we’ve mentioned, they are often educated to execute not solely methods but additionally obey instructions for naturally occurring actions reminiscent of flying to sure spots and retrieving gadgets.

Well being & Circumstances

Plum-Headed Parakeets are a hardy and resilient species, however the next preventative well being measures ought to nonetheless be taken.

Frequent Diseases for this birds are:

If the habits or look of your parakeet appears irregular, it’s at all times a good suggestion to hunt medical care.

3 Little-Recognized Details Concerning the Plum-Headed Parakeet

1. Throughout flight, Plum-Headed Parakeets change instructions quickly, twisting and turning whereas making distinctive sounds.

2. Chewing is nearly as interesting to them as flying. They’ll chew on something they will of their enclosure.

3. Traditionally, Plum-Headed Parakeets had been included in the identical group as Psittacula roseate, the Blossom-Headed Parakeet.

Conclusion

An interesting persona and set of character traits, gorgeous look, and nice social profile make the Plum-Headed Parakeet a most pleasing member of the household. Beloved worldwide, they’re very intelligent and playful, straightforward to take care of, and might be trusted to make the day brighter and extra fascinating.

Featured Picture Credit score: Amol Subhash Rapte, Shutterstock