Abstract
Well, you started out with budgies
and in time moved up to cockatiels.
Where does the avicultural trail lead
me now, you ask. You feel ready to
move up to the "big birds". Which one
you ask. There is a solution to your
yearning that has a "ring" to go with it.
Psittacula krameri manillensis. Now,
what the heck is that? It is a beautiful,
graceful bird commonly known as an
Indian Ring-necked Parakeet that will
provide you with joy and a challenge.
In some parts of the world it is
referred to as a Rose-ringed Parakeet.
It occurs in central Africa, Afghanistan,
Burma and India. The African
form differs slightly in size and color
and is not seen very often. The one
that is raised in great numbers comes
to us with an Indian background. In
size, it is somewhat larger than the
cockatiel and has a very long, slender
tail. The body is a bright green in
color, accented with the upper mandible
a deep red and the lower mandible
black. The adult male has what
could be described as a black moustache
starting with the black lower
mandible and extending partially
around the neck. This is connected
around the back of the neck by a ring
of rose. The hen, while not a timid
sort, allows her mate to be the gaudy
one and thus goes without the ring.
It is quite easy then to determine the
sex of specimens when they become
adults entering their third year. If you
acquire younger specimens, insist that
their sex be determined by one of the
many methods available. Checking
the pelvic area as well as other visual
inspections is at best only half right.
Their plumage is smooth and even,
the tail long and graceful and they set·
the perch in an upright manner. They
are easily available and not expensive.
Now really, aren't you just a little interested
by now? Okay, let's move on. As
you become involved with them, you
discover that they also come in other
colors that occur in captive breeding.
A bright yellow lutino with red eyes, a
lovely blue and a snow white albino
without the ring on the neck. Sure,
these will cost more but they will provide
a challenge for you in the future.
Assuming you have learned your genetics
in the budgies and cockatiels,
you are ready to apply the same rules
here.
While the males don't acquire the
ring-neck coloration until about the
27th month, they often will raise
young in the spring of their second
year. Ring-necked Parakeets are one
of the first to go to nest each year. In
southern California, they often lay in
January. They seem to quit when the
weather becomes warm. With an
extended cool spring, they will often
raise two clutches of three or four
young. Success has been achieved by
colony breeding; however, it has been
my experience that more youngsters
are produced when pairs are housed
separately. I am presently using a nest
box that is 12" x 12" x 32" high. Six
inches of dampened pine shavings are
placed in the nest in December.