Wildlife SOS’s series “Things You Didn’t Know About” explores fascinating and lesser-known facts about various species. Our writers spotlight one inhabitant of the wild, unveiling its unique characteristics and roles in the ecosystem. In this blog, you will get to know about a species of bird that can be extremely noisy yet full of grace at the same time — the rose-ringed parakeet.
Sharp repeated squawks encompass your surroundings early in the morning, and you rush out the door, only to find a bunch of bright green birds with long tails helicoptering over one branch of a tree. But don’t lose interest, these commonly sighted birds bring with them some interesting facts you’d be happy to know about!
If you look closely and find that the birds have a distinct black ring with a slight highlight of the rose-red colour around their necks, you’re looking at what are called rose-ringed parakeets. If you spotted any without this feature, it is either a female or a juvenile parakeet. The word parakeet and parrot are often interchanged and used, but technically, this isn’t right. There is a certain phrase commonly known among birdwatchers – all parakeets are parrots, but not all parrots are parakeets.
We are sure this begs the question of what exactly is the difference between parrots and parakeets? In the simplest of terms, parrots is the umbrella word for the entire parrot family within which parakeets are only one group.
Indian or rose-ringed parakeets are most commonly found across India, and the species has been honoured as the state bird of Andhra Pradesh. Zoom out, and these parakeets have spread far and wide across the world as well. They are only natively found in Southern Asia and Central Africa, but have also been introduced to other continents such as Europe, Australia, parts of North America and the Middle East.
Now that you have an overview of them, let’s swoop in to know what is largely unknown about them.
Mimicry Experts
There was a cacophony of chirps when suddenly, a whistle-like sound was heard. Rose-ringed parakeets have long intrigued humans with their ability to mimic sounds. These can be from alarm calls on vehicles, the ringtone set on a mobile phone, and even human words. Recent research shows that parts of the brains of these winged creatures are very similar to those of the human brain responsible for speech, and this can offer insights to treat human speech disorders. Interesting, right? Those seeking to chase one in hopes of teaching the parakeet to speak — beware! The law in India protects these parakeets from being a part of the pet trade.
Cultural Significance
Parakeets find presence across India’s diverse culture. The rose-ringed parakeet is also known as “Rama Chiluka” in Telugu. One of the tales from Telugu folk literature tells the story of a lonesome woman with this very bird as a companion. The woman taught the bird many words, including Rama, the deity’s name. During the final days of her life, the woman recited the word Rama over and over again, and so did the rose-ringed parakeet. The two friends passed away at the same time, leaving behind a story that is also the name by which the rose-ringed parakeet is known.
This parakeet also holds a very symbolic presence as a messenger of love and wisdom. Goddess Saraswati is sometimes depicted with this parrot, which may represent her knowledge, while Meenakshi, an avatar of Goddess Parvati, has also been painted with the rose-ringed parakeet depicting affection. Art from the Mughal era also features parakeets among avians as royal court’s symbols of beauty.
Sexual Dimorphism
Male rose-ringed parakeets are a bit bigger than females and show off their fabulous rings around their necks. At one glance it may seem like only a black ring but upon closer inspection, you can spot the outline of rich rosy pink – almost like a brushstroke of colour. Because of possessing such a feature, they are also known as a ringed-necked parakeet. This ring appears when the male is sexually mature, usually around its third birthday!
While the elegant females lack this feature, some might have a faint shade of gray or another layer of green as their rings.
Highly Adaptable
As this species has been introduced to other parts of the world, they have adapted incredibly to the new regions and continue to flourish. Rose-ringed parakeets are native to Central Africa and South Asia – regions which are known for their warm climate for most of the year.
However, they were also brought to Europe and North America that are recognised for being colder regions of the world. While it defines the rose-ringed parakeet as a very resilient bird, it is a non-native species to the two continents. The multiplication of its population has caused harm to agricultural produce and local biodiversity, making this invasive species come under the scanner of conservationists.
It has been speculated that what helps these parakeets survive harsh winters are the ‘urban heat islands’. These are the urban parts of a country where temperatures are known to be slightly warmer. Rose-ringed parakeets use these warm regions to their advantage within the cold continents.
Courtship Ritual
Unlike other birds, where the male usually initiates a mating ritual, the female rose-ringed parakeets are known to take the first step. The female approaches the male by rubbing her head against the male’s.
In return, the male rose-ringed parakeet feeds the female to woo her. In addition, some mating movements also include the male bobbing his head or bowing in front of the female — in the same fashion that a prince would when asking a princess for a ballroom dance!
Nesting Together
Rose-ringed parakeets are serial monogamists, meaning they pair up with a partner for one breeding season instead of staying together for a lifetime. The soon-to-be parents build the nest together for the young ones. Once the eggs hatch, the chicks are completely dependent on the parent parakeets for food and for protection. This is because the hatchlings of these parakeets are born rather underdeveloped compared to babies of other species.
Eccentric Ways Of Eating
Rose-ringed parakeets have a peculiar way of eating. They use their feet to grip the piece of food while they munch away. They can even be picky and have a preference as to which foot to grip the piece of food with.
Their diet mainly consists of plant-based food such as vegetables, berries, fruits and seeds. However, their eating habits often lead them to agricultural fields in search of healthy grains, causing annoyance to farmers.
Stories of Bravery
As these species are found across the world, many wildlife enthusiasts and photographers have recorded engrossing observations of rose-ringed parakeets. They explain how fierce the birds can be to protect themselves when threatened.
One instance was from India, at the Ananthagiri forest in Telangana, where a wildlife photographer’s eye caught what he thought were rose-ringed parakeets squawking as usual. But, upon closer inspection, he realised that they were actually protecting their nest from an Indian cobra! The snake had to eventually jump from the branch in response to the parakeets’ determination.
Another instance was from Spain, when black rats went near a rose-ringed parakeet nest. The builders of the nest showed their strong protective instinct by relentlessly shooing away the rats till each one was banished.
No matter how resilient these birds are, they are still vulnerable to the extremities of the weather.
Wildlife SOS’s Rapid Response Units have answered multiple concerned calls involving rose-ringed parakeets coming in from Delhi, Agra, Vadodara and Srinagar. Every year as summer takes over, rescue calls for dehydrated birds also increase. You can make a small difference by keeping a clay bowl filled with water to help our winged friends. If you already do this, make sure to clean these vessels ever so often to ensure hygiene.
If you belong to the following regions, you can reach out to Wildlife SOS’s 24×7 helpline number and alert us of any bird found in distress, helping us save the country’s amazing avians:
Delhi NCT: +91-9871963535
Agra, Uttar Pradesh: +91-9917109666
Vadodara, Gujarat: +91-9825011117
Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir: +91-7006692300/ +91-9419778280
Feature Image: Kunal Malhotra/Wildlife SOS
