Princess parrot
Princess parrot | |
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AtWarsaw Zoo | |
Scientific classification![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Psittaciformes |
Family: | Psittaculidae |
Genus: | Polytelis |
Species: | P. alexandrae
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Binomial name | |
Polytelis alexandrae Gould,1863
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The colourfulprincess parrot(Polytelis alexandrae) is an Australian bird of theparrotfamily. Its name was given in honour of PrincessAlexandra of Denmark,who in 1863 married thePrince of WalesEdward VIIand eventually becameQueen of the United Kingdom.Other names for the species include:Queen Alexandra parrot(or parakeet),Alexandra's parakeet,Princess of Wales parakeet,rose-throated parakeet,andspinifex parrot.Their plumage is mostly green with a pink throat, bluish crown and rump, and bright green shoulders.
Description
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1d/Polytelis_alexandrae_-Bloedel_Conservatory%2C_Vancouver%2C_Canada_-male-8a.jpg/170px-Polytelis_alexandrae_-Bloedel_Conservatory%2C_Vancouver%2C_Canada_-male-8a.jpg)
The princess parrot is a medium-sized parrot, 34 to 46 cm long and weighing between 110 and 120 g. The plumage is mostly green with a pink throat, bluish crown, and bright green shoulders. The rump is blue and the tail is long and narrow. The males have longer tail feathers and brighter coloring than females. The male also has a coral-red beak, while the female's is duller and has a greyish crown. Another difference is that the male has an orangeiris,while the female's is much browner. In addition, the male of the species has a longer, projecting extension from the end of the 3rd primary (flight) feather on each side. This projection is called a 'spatula' or 'spatule' and appears in mature male birds.[citation needed]
Behaviour
[edit]This species isnomadic,arriving in small groups to breed and then disappearing. It is one of Australia's least known parrots because it is so elusive,[citation needed]even though it is spread across the interior of Australia. It inhabits arid woodland and scrub withspinifex,eucalypts,acacias,etc. They are unusual among parrots in engaging inmobbingbehaviour against predators. They feed on the seeds of grasses and shrubs.
Breeding
[edit]Four to six white eggs are laid which are incubated for 19 days. The chicks leave the nest about 35 days after hatching. These parakeets are trulyopportunistic breeders,with pairs choosing to nest when food is plentiful.[2]They nest in a hollow in an eucalypt ordesert oak.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/Princess_Parrot_%28blue_mutation%29.jpg/220px-Princess_Parrot_%28blue_mutation%29.jpg)
Aviculture
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/54/Polytelis_alexandrae_-Flying_High_Bird_Habitat%2C_Australia-8c.jpg/220px-Polytelis_alexandrae_-Flying_High_Bird_Habitat%2C_Australia-8c.jpg)
The princess parrot can make loud calls.[2]Their life span is thought to be as long as 30 years. Under the right circumstances, they are able to bond to more than one member of the host family. These birds have a short range of mimicking ability, yet some have the ability to "talk".[3]They are a favourite among manyaviculturistsand pet owners because of their looks and personality. Their diet consists of reasonable sized seeds and grasses that have seeds. They can be constipated if given bread or seeds that are small or become wet, they can become ill if seed bowls are contaminated by rats or mice so are best fed on an inverted ceramic pot with the bowl on top not wider than the top as they will dislodge the feed bowl.[citation needed]
There are three common colormutationsof this parakeet. These colours are Lutino, Blue, and Albino (combination of Blue and Lutino). The natural, or 'normal' color is green. There are two types of blue, one blue winged and the second is bright blue wings and bright blue head.
References
[edit]- ^BirdLife International (2022)."Polytelis alexandrae".IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.2022:e.T22685081A213099157.doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T22685081A213099157.en.Retrieved7 February2023.
- ^abAlderton, David(2003).The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Caged and Aviary Birds.London, England: Hermes House. p. 186.ISBN1-84309-164-X.
- ^"Princess Of Wales Parakeet Birds".www.birdchannel.com.Retrieved2015-10-19.
External links
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/Wikispecies-logo.svg/34px-Wikispecies-logo.svg.png)
- World Parrot TrustParrot Encyclopedia - Species Profiles