Nicobar Parakeets or Blyth's Parakeets

Ringneck / Long-tailed Parakeets ... Ringneck Photo Gallery

The Nicobar Parakeet (Psittacula caniceps) or Blyth's Parakeet is a parrot native to the Great Nicobar, Little Nicobar, Montschall and Kondul in Nicobar Islands of the Indian Ocean where it can be found in mangroves, virgin lowland forest and edges of forest. It is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN. Very little is actually known about its ecology and conservation status.

They are usually found in pairs or small groups. They live high up in trees and rarely come down to ground, as they prefer the dense foliage in tops of tallest trees.

Calls / Vocalization:

They are noisy and their harsh, raucous screeching calls can easily be heard even from a distance. Their calls are described as crow-like.

Diet / Feeding:

Their natural diet consists of seeds, fruits, berries and buds. They prefer fruit of the Pandanus ssp.

Description:

Size: The average length is 19 - 23 inches (48 - 56 cm), with a wing span of 7.5 - 8 inches ( 190 - 206 mm). It is considered the largest of the "true parakeets" in terms of length.

Adult Male: The plumage is mostly green. The head is grey. The nape (lower back of the neck) and crown have a faint blue tinge. The cheeks and ear-coverts have a light yellowish tinge. Chin, broad stripe to cheek. The lores (the regions between the eyes and bill on the side of a bird's head) and forehead are black. The upperside of the middle tail-feathers are green tinged with grey and with yellow tips. The outer tail-feathers are green. The underside of the tail-feathers are green-olive yellowish. The upper beak is red and the lower beak is black. The irides (= plural of iris) are orange-red and the feet grey.

Female as male, but her nape (lower back of the neck) and crown are suffused strongly with blue. Both upper and lower beaks are black. The middle tail-feathers, on average, are noticeably shorter.

Pet Quality / Training and Behavioral Guidance:

As these parakeets are so rare, experts prefer any captive birds to be placed into a well-managed breeding program. If for some reason, an individual is unsuitable for breeding and you are considering it for your aviary or as pet, you may want to consider the following.

Ringneck parrots are less demanding than other parrot species, which makes them an excellent choice for someone who wants to "step up" from an easy-going and easy-care cockatiel or budgie.

Consistent training and behavioral guidance from a young age is recommended to ensure potential owners enjoy a bird free of destructive and annoying habits.

Behavioral challenges that ringnecks present include:

• Chewing: Any parrot will chew. In nature, they use their beak to "customize" their favorite tree, to enlarge the size of their nest in a tree hollow. Doing this keeps their beaks in good condition. The problem is excessive and undesirable chewing. Undisciplined ringnecks may chew on electric wiring potentially causing house fires. The owner needs to provide plenty of "healthy" chewing opportunities (bird toys, natural wood branches, etc.) and training is necessary to teach a parrot what is "off-limits."

• Jealousy / Aggression: The ringneck parrots can be jealous of other family members and pets. They can develop a bond with only one human and refuse to interact with other people, even attacking them in some cases. Although this is a small bird it does not seem to believe so, and will attack larger birds and even dogs if it feels it or its human is threatened. Owners should be cautious in multiple-pet homes. Continuing to socialize the hand reared pet bird from a young age and letting many people handle and interact with it can prevent single-person bonding and allow it to become an excellent family pet.



• Noise: They can be noisy - albeit not as noisy as their larger cousins. Not everybody can tolerate the natural call of a ringneck parrot, and even though it can't (or should not) be entirely eliminated, there are ways to discourage screaming / screeching in your pet. Ringnecks are known for their talking and whistling ability, and teaching and encouraging your pet to talk is one way to reduce undesirable screeching in your pet.
  

Continuous obedience training is recommended ...

• AvianWeb Resources: I put together web resources for you to help you understand your pet bird and properly direct him. Please visit this website for valuable tips on parrot behavior and training. If you found a way to resolve a "parrot behavioral issue" please share it with others.


• If you are, as I am, a visual learner and prefer step-by-step instructions to train your pet, I recommend:
  
  • the Parrot Training Course to teach your parrot to:
    • Stop Biting
    • Perform Tricks &
    • Tame ANY SIZE bird you could possibly own
  • and/or try the "Teach Your Parrot to Talk" Training Course.

If you are considering one of these magnificent parrots as pets, please visit the following websites for information:

• Procuring your Parrot



• Click here for a Breeders Listing
  • Do you breed this species and would like to be listed? Click here to see your options.


• Ringnecks love to climb and play and need to be provided with a cage that allows them to move around freely and toys to entertain themselves with. Info on Housing Your Bird



• The 3 Key Elements to Your Pet Bird's Happiness and Health



• Training Your Bird



• Bird Nutrition



• Parrot Products

Ringneck Parrots are generally hardy birds. However, the following diseases have been reported in this species:

• Polyoma
• Sarcocystosis
• Aspergillosis (fungal disease)
• Bacterial infections (pneumonia)
  
• Hypovitaminosis A
  
• Psittacosis

Relevant Resources:

• Identify a sick bird
• Sick bird care

Taxonomy:

Species: Scientific: Psittacula caniceps ... English: Blyth's Parakeet, Grey-headed Parakeet ... Dutch: Blyths Parkiet ... German: Graukopf Edelsittich ... French: Perruche de Blyth ... CITES II - Endangered Species

Related Web Resources: Lexicon of Parrots

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