Parakeet

Parakeet
Sun conure Aratinga solstitialis
Scientific classification
Kingdom Information
Domain	Eukaryota
Kingdom	Animalia
Subkingdom	Bilateria
Branch	Deuterostomia
Phylum Information
Phylum	Chordata
Sub-phylum	Vertebrata
Infraphylum	Gnathostomata
Class Information
Superclass	Tetrapoda
Class	Aves
Sub-class	Neornithes
Infra-class	Neoaves
Order Information
Superorder	Psittacimorphae
Order	Psittaciformes
Family Information
Family	Psittacidae
Population statistics

Parakeet is a name given loosely to many different species of parrots, often unrelated, and sharing some general characteristics such as small-to-medium size and long tails. As with parrots, some parakeet species are popular as pets, with the budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) the most popular cage bird of any kind.

Description

Generally-speaking, parakeets are 8 to 24 inches in length. Parakeets have an upright stance when perched; when not flying they move about in the trees using their hooked beak as a climbing aid. On the ground they walk with a rolling gait, their long tails slightly elevated off the ground. Both feet are zygodactyl, i.e. two toes in front, two toes behind, a trait shared with owls and woodpeckers. With the exception of the budgerigar, parakeets use one foot as a "hand" to hold and bring food to its mouth.

Parakeet plumage is also unique in that the brilliant colors are not the result of diet; they are made directly within the feathers by a set of five pigments, or psittacofulvins, a trait found in no other bird species.

Diet

Fruits, seeds, and nuts make up the diet of most parakeets, with flocks in large numbers often taking advantage of human crops. In India, Sri Lanka, and Burma, farmers have to contend with large flocks of rose-ringed parakeets (Psittacula krameri), which inflict heavy losses on orchards, wheat fields, and rice paddies, while in Malaysia the long-tailed parakeet (Psittacula longicauda) strips the pulp from oil palms; in both cases farmers have to kill a large number of birds to maintain control and reduce their losses, a tactic which resulted, in part, in the extinction of the Carolina parakeet (Conuropsis carolinensis) in the United States.

Phylogeny

The following families and genera have species which are named or have been referred to as parakeets. The term conure has been in use primarily by aviculturalists, in part to differentiate these New World birds from similarly-named Old World parakeets in the pet and millinery trades. The name rosella is a corrupted form of "Rose Hill", a location in New South Wales, Australia, and derived from the original name of "rosehill parakeet" given to the bird by early European settlers.

• Family Psittacidae

Subfamily Psittacinae

Tribe Arini

Genus Aratinga

Blue-crowned conure, Aratinga acuticaudata

Brown-throated conure, Aratinga pertinax

Caatinga parakeet, Aratinga cactorum

Cherry-headed conure, Aratinga erythrogenys

Cuban parakeet, Aratinga euops

Dusky-headed conure, Aratinga weddellii

Finsch's conure, Aratinga finschi

Golden-capped parakeet, Aratinga auricapillus

Green conure, Aratinga holochlora

Jenday conure, Aratinga jandaya

Mitred Conure, Aratinga mitrata

Nanday conure, Aratinga nenday

Olive-throated conure, Aratinga nana

Orange-fronted conure, Aratinga canicularis

Peach-fronted conure, Aratinga aurea

Red-throated conure, Aratinga rubritorquis

Scarlet-fronted conure, Aratinga wagleri

Sun conure, Aratinga solstitialis

White-eyed conure, Aratinga leucophthalma

Genus Brotogeris

Canary-winged parakeet, Brotogeris chiriri

Cobalt-winged parakeet, Brotogeris cyanoptera

Golden-winged parakeet, Brotogeris chrysoptera

Grey-cheeked parakeet, Brotogeris pyrrhoptera

Orange-chinned parakeet, Brotogeris jugularis

Plain parakeet, Brotogeris tirica

Tui parakeet, Brotogeris sanctithomae

White-winged parakeet, Brotogeris versicolurus

Genus Conuropsis

Carolina parakeet, Conuropsis carolinensis

Genus Guarouba

Golden conure, Guaruba guarouba

Genus Leptosittaca

Golden-plumed parakeet, Leptosittaca branickii

Genus Myiopsitta

Monk parakeet, Myiopsitta monachus

Genus Pyrrhura

Black-capped conure, Pyrrhura rupicola

Blaze-winged conure, Pyrrhura devillei

Blue-throated parakeet, Pyrrhura cruentata

Crimson-bellied conure, Pyrrhura perlata

DeVille's conure, Pyrrhura lucianii

El Oro parakeet, Pyrrhura orcesi

Fiery-shouldered conure, Pyrrhura egregia

Flame-winged conure, Pyrrhura calliptera

Green-cheeked conure, Pyrrhura molinae

Hellmayr's parakeet, Pyrrhura amazonum

Maroon-bellied conure, Pyrrhura frontalis

Maroon-faced parakeet, Pyrrhura leucotis

Maroon-tailed parakeet, Pyrrhura melanura

Painted conure, Pyrrhura picta

Pearly conure, Pyrrhura lepida

Pfrimer's parakeet, Pyrrhura pfrimeri

Red-eared conure, Pyrrhura hoematotis

Rose-crowned parakeet, Pyrrhura rhodocephala

Rose-fronted conure, Pyrrhura roseifrons

Santa Marta parakeet, Pyrrhura viridicata

Sulphur-winged parakeet, Pyrrhura hoffmanni

White-necked parakeet, Pyrrhura albipectus

Tribe Psittaculini

Genus Psittacula

Alexandrine parakeet, Psittacula eupatria

Blossom-headed parakeet, Psittacula roseata

Blue-winged parakeet, Psittacula columboides

Grey-headed parakeet, Psittacula finschii

Layard's parakeet, Psittacula calthropae

Long-tailed parakeet, Psittacula longicauda

Lord Derby's parakeet, Psittacula derbiana

Mascarene grey parakeet, Psittacula bensoni (extinct)

Mauritius parakeet, Psittacula echo

Newton's parakeet, Psittacula exsul (extinct)

Nicobar parakeet, Psittacula caniceps

Plum-headed parakeet, Psittacula cyanocephala

Red-breasted parakeet, Psittacula alexandri

Réunion parakeet, Psittacula eques (extinct)

Rose-ringed parakeet, Psittacula krameri

Seychelles parakeet, Psittacula wardi (extinct)

Slaty-headed parakeet, Psittacula himalayana

Subfamily Platycercinae

Tribe Melopsittacini

Genus Melopsittacus

Budgerigar, Melopsittacus undulatus

Tribe Platycercini

Genus Cyanoramphus

Antipodes parakeet, Cyanoramphus unicolor

Black-fronted parakeet, Cyanoramphus zealandicus (extinct)

Chatham parakeet, Cyanoramphus forbesi

Lord Howe parakeet, Cyanoramphus subflavescens (extinct)

Macquarie parakeet, Cyanoramphus erythrotis (extinct)

Malherbe's parakeet, Cyanoramphus malherbi

New Caledonian parakeet, Cyanoramphus saisseti

Norfolk parakeet, Cyanoramphus cooki

Red-crowned parakeet, Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae

Reischek's parakeet, Cyanoramphus hochstetteri

Society parakeet, Cyanoramphus ulietanus (extinct)

Yellow-crowned parakeet, Cyanoramphus auriceps

Genus Eunymphicus

Horned parakeet, Eunymphicus cornutus

Ouvea parakeet, Eunymphicus uvaeensis

Genus Platycercus

Crimson rosella, Platycercus elegans

Eastern rosella, Platycercus eximius

Green rosella, Platycercus caledonicus

Northern rosella, Platycercus venustus

Pale-headed rosella, Platycercus adscitus

Western rosella, Platycercus icterotis