Alexandrine parakeet
| Alexandrine parakeet | |
|---|---|
_pair_-2pc.jpg) |
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| Male (left) and female (right) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Psittaciformes |
| Superfamily: | Psittacoidea |
| Family: | Psittaculidae |
| Subfamily: | Psittaculinae |
| Tribe: | Psittaculini |
| Genus: | Psittacula |
| Species: | P. eupatria |
| Binomial name | |
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Psittacula eupatria (Linnaeus, 1766) |
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The Alexandrine parakeet or Alexandrian parrot (Psittacula eupatria) is a member of the psittaciformes order and of the family Psittaculidae. The species is named after Alexander the Great, who is credited with the exporting of numerous specimens of this bird from Punjab into various European and Mediterranean countries and regions, where they were considered prized possessions for the nobles, royalty & warlords.
The species name eupatria has its origins from Greek. Where the prefix eu translates into good or noble and the suffix patria is a Greek word translating as either fatherland or ancestry. Consequently, the species' scientific name means something in the line "of noble ancestry", "of noble fatherland" or "of noble nation".
The species has naturalized itself in numerous European countries. Particularly in Germany, in the south of England, in Belgium, in Greece, in western Turkey and in the Netherlands where it generally lives amongst or alongside flocks of naturalized Psittacula krameri (ringnecked or rose-ringed parakeet).
The Alexandrine parakeet's natural call heard here; is a powerful screech but deeper than that of its very close-relative the rose-ringnecked or rose-ringed parakeet.
The Alexandrine parakeet is one of the largest species of parakeet (long tail) species, thus often being the largest parrot in their native range. This species measures 58 cm (23 in) in total length with a wing length averaging 18.9–21.5 cm (7.4–8.5 in) and a tail length of 21.5–35.5 cm (8.5–14.0 in). Adult birds commonly weigh between 200 and 300 g (7.1 and 10.6 oz). It is mainly green with a blue-grey sheen on its cheeks and nape, particularly in males. The abdomen is yellowish-green, the upperside of the middle tail feathers is blueish-green, the upperside of the external tail feathers is green while the underside of the tail feathers are all yellow. All Alexandrine parakeets (irrespective of age, gender and/or sub-species) boldly display a maroon (reddish-brown) patch at the top of their wing coverts (commonly called 'shoulder' patch). The shoulder patch is seen in parakeets at their first feathering before fledging. The lower and upper mandibles are red with yellow tips. The adult's irises are yellowish-white and the periopthalmic rings are light grey. The legs are grey except in the P. e. siamensis (Laos' or Siamese sub-species) where they are yellowish-grey.
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Wikipedia