The Alexandrine parakeet is the largest of the Psittacula (Asian ring-necked) parakeets, a long-tailed green bird with a deep maroon wing patch and, in adult males, a rose-and-black neck ring. Intelligent, capable of clear speech and bonded but somewhat aloof, it is a long-lived companion that demands serious space and commitment. It is listed on CITES Appendix II and is Near Threatened in the wild, so international movement requires permits; pet birds should be captive-bred and documented.
ℹ️
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Large parakeet, 56-62 cm including the long tail; 200-300 g
Lifespan
25–40 years
Social needs
pair
Native region
Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia (Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, and neighboring areas);
Origin
Old World
Climate
🌴 Tropical
Family
Psittaculidae
Genus
Psittacula
Part of the Asian parakeets
Long-tailed Psittacula and allied parakeets of Asia, prized in aviculture for their elegant proportions, neck rings, and clear talking ability; intelligent, long-lived, and needing generous flight space.
More asian parakeets coming soon.
Habitat & space requirements
From the minimum an animal needs to be kept humanely, up to the ideal setup. Bigger is almost always better — minimums are floors, not targets.
Photo coming soon
Minimum
Tall flight cage + daily out time
36 × 24 × 48 in, ¾ in bar spacing
Alexandrines are large (20–24 in including tail) long-tailed parakeets. A 36 × 24 × 48 in flight cage with ¾ in bar spacing is the rock-bottom roosting base, paired with 3+ hours daily out-of-cage time on a play stand. Varied natural perches, chew toys, and foraging puzzles are essential — they bore quickly and bite when neglected.
Photo coming soon
Recommended
Macaw-sized flight cage
48 × 36 × 60 in, ¾–1 in bar spacing
A larger flight cage that lets the long tail clear perches without bending, plus rotating foraging toys, daily fresh chopped veg, and 4+ hours of social/out time. Alexandrines mature into demanding pets; they thrive with a consistent owner who tolerates volume and an occasional nip during hormonal seasons.
Photo coming soon
Ideal
Walk-in aviary or bird room
8 × 4 × 7 ft aviary or dedicated room
An 8 × 4 ft walk-in aviary or bird-safe room with natural-branch perches, swings, foraging stations, and bathing. Best with a same-species companion. Free flight inside the aviary lets the long tail develop normal muscle tone and reduces feather damage from short cage perches.
Life & growth stages
How this animal changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.
Photo coming soon
Egg
Birds develop inside a hard-shelled egg incubated by the parent(s). Egg size, shell color, and clutch size vary by species; the embryo develops over days to weeks before hatching.
Photo coming soon
Hatchling / Chick
Hatchlings are either altricial — naked, blind, and dependent on parents (typical of parrots and songbirds) — or precocial — downy, mobile, and self-feeding soon after hatching (typical of poultry and waterfowl). Down gives way to the first feathers.
Photo coming soon
Juvenile / Fledgling
Fledglings grow in their juvenile plumage and begin to fly and feed themselves, though they may still beg from parents at first. Juvenile feathering is often duller than the adult and is replaced as the bird matures.
Adult
Adults attain full body size and mature plumage, and are capable of breeding. Many species show distinct adult coloration, and in sexually dimorphic birds males and females differ in plumage, size, or markings.
(c) anetteffm, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) via iNaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/324486655
Color & pattern variants
Natural variants occur in the wild; selectively bred (man-made) variants were developed in captivity.
Selectively bred (man-made)
representative
Blue
A recessive mutation replacing green with powdery blue-grey; the maroon wing patch becomes pale and the male's ring black-and-white. Popular and well established in aviculture.
representative
Lutino
Sex-linked mutation producing a yellow bird with red beak and red eyes, lacking melanin; the wing patch and ring colors are reduced.
representative
Grey-green (Grey)
A dilution-type mutation giving a muted grey-green plumage; combined with blue to create grey and other composite morphs.
Habitat & enclosure
These are powerful, long-tailed fliers that need horizontal flight room far more than perch space. A single companion bird should have the largest cage available, minimum roughly 90 x 60 x 90 cm (36 x 24 x 36 in) with horizontal bar spacing of ~2 cm, but they truly thrive in a flight cage or aviary 2-4 m (6-13 ft) long. Pairs are best kept in a suspended aviary at least 3-4 m long. Provide out-of-cage time daily if cage-housed. They tolerate temperate climates and are fairly cold-hardy once acclimatized but need a dry, draft-free, frost-protected shelter; avoid damp.
Substrate
Cage trays are best lined with plain paper or newspaper for easy daily cleaning and droppings monitoring; avoid loose particulate (corn cob, walnut shell) that hides soiling and harbors mold/Aspergillus. In planted or earth-floor aviaries use well-drained sand or gravel that can be raked and kept dry.
Equipment & setup
Needs: a large powder-coated cage or aviary with secure latches (they are clever escape artists), multiple natural-wood perches of varying diameter, plenty of robust chewable and foraging toys, food/water dishes, a cuttlebone/mineral block, and a bathing dish or misting. Full-spectrum/UVB avian lighting benefits indoor birds. A nest box (large, ~30 x 30 x 50 cm) is only added for intended breeding pairs.
Diet
Base the diet on a quality large-parakeet/parrot pellet (40-60%) plus a varied seed/sprout mix kept modest to prevent obesity, with daily fresh vegetables and leafy greens (dark leafy greens, capsicum, carrot, peas, beans, broccoli), some fruit, and soaked/cooked legumes and whole grains. Offer cuttlebone/mineral block for calcium. Avoid avocado, chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, and excessive sunflower/peanut. Sprouted seed and fresh browse (eucalyptus, willow, fruit-tree branches) are excellent enrichment foods.
Behavior & temperament
Highly intelligent and one of the best talkers among the parakeets, with a clear voice. Hand-raised birds can be affectionate but Alexandrines are independent and can be 'one-person' birds; many go through a hormonal nippy phase, especially males as they mature (the neck ring appears around 18-36 months). They are loud, with carrying screeches, and need consistent gentle handling and training to stay tame. Not cuddly lap parrots; they appreciate interaction more on their own terms. Provide abundant chewing material and foraging to prevent boredom-driven plucking or screaming.
Health
Generally hardy and long-lived. Watch for obesity from seed-heavy diets, fatty liver disease, feather-destructive behavior from boredom or stress, and respiratory infections. Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) and polyomavirus are concerns in Psittacula; source from a reputable breeder and quarantine new birds. Annual avian-vet checks and a fecal/gram-stain are wise. Provide UVB lighting or supervised natural sunlight to support vitamin D and calcium metabolism.
Tips, DIY & hacks
Start training and socialization early and keep it up for life; daily short, positive sessions maintain tameness. Rotate and replace chew toys frequently. Offer fresh eucalyptus/willow/fruit-wood branches for chewing and to satisfy their strong beaks. Cover or manage hormonal-season behavior with consistent routines, ample sleep (10-12 h dark), and reduced high-fat/warm soft foods. Because of their loud calls, consider neighbors before keeping them in apartments.
