Parakeet - biology.

Parakeet - biology. I INTRODUCTION Parakeet, common name used for various smaller members of the parrot family. The parrots popularly called parakeets are grouped together only because of their small size and not because they are all closely related to each other. Wild parakeets are found around the world in warm regions. Some species of parakeets are endangered but others have become agricultural pests. Several kinds of parakeets are popular as cage birds and make colorful and intelligent pets. In some cities in the United States, escaped or released parakeets have formed resident flocks. II DESCRIPTION AND BEHAVIOR Like other members of the parrot family, parakeets have curved, hooked bills and short legs. Their first and fourth toes are turned backward, an arrangement that helps in climbing and perching, but one that makes walking awkward. They often have vividly colored feathers. Their bodies are slender, typically with long tapering tails. They range in size from about 18 to 45 cm (7 to 18 in) long; larger birds are usually not called parakeets. Parakeets primarily eat seeds and grains. Parakeets are highly social and commonly live in flocks. In some species males and females may form close bonds that last beyond a single breeding season. Most parakeets make their nests in holes in trees. The South American monk parakeet, however, builds large communal nests made of sticks. Intelligent and playful birds, parakeets can be taught tricks. A number of parakeets can mimic human speech or other sounds, as do some other members of the parrot family. Depending on the species, captive parakeets can have life spans of 15 to 30 or more years. III TYPES OF PARAKEETS The Australian budgerigar is the bird commonly called parakeet in pet stores. Budgerigars live in dry regions of Australia and form vast flocks to feed on plant seeds that grow after rainstorms. Wild "budgies" are mostly green but many color varieties have been bred in captivity. Budgerigars kept in captivity often imitate human speech. Monk parakeets are 11.4 in (29 cm) long and have mainly green plumage. Native to South America, they can live in temperate climates. In some regions of Argentina they are considered agricultural pests that damage crops and orchards. Originally imported as pets, monk parrots have established breeding populations in parts of the United States and Europe. Efforts to control monk parakeets as an invasive species have caused controversy, with some people arguing that the formerly domestic birds should be left alone in the wild. Conures are brightly colored, long-tailed parakeets found in the Americas. Popular as pets, different types of conures range in size from 22 to 45 cm (8.5 to 18 in) long. They have loud voices and can easily learn to mimic human speech. The Carolina parakeet, now extinct, was the only parrot native to the United States. It was about 30 cm (about 12 in) long, with a long, pointed tail, a green body, and a yellow head and orange face. It was once abundant in the southern United States but was shot to supply feathers for women's hats and because it was a severe pest in fruit-growing regions. Habitat loss and other pressures greatly reduced its numbers as well. It went extinct when the last individual died in captivity in 1918. IV PET TRADE AND CONSERVATION Nearly all parakeets and other parrots legally sold as pets in the United States have been bred in captivity. In the past, large numbers of parakeets and parrots were caught in the wild and imported into the United States. This practice often threatened wild populations and could result in high death rates among the captured birds. The Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992 restricts and regulates the importation of exotic birds, although some smuggling still occurs. Captive-bred birds are generally healthier and tamer and make better pets than wild-caught birds. Except for budgerigars and ring-necked parakeets, all species of parakeets are listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This listing means that the species are vulnerable and could be threatened with extinction in the wild unless trade is closely controlled. Habitat loss is a continuing threat to many wild parakeet populations around the world, particularly to birds that live in forest environments. Scientific classification: Parakeets belong to the parrot family Psittacidae but include birds usually classified in different subfamilies or tribes. The Australian budgerigar is classified as Melopsittacus undulatus. The monk parakeet is Myiopsitta monachus. Conures include the genus Aratinga. The Carolina parakeet is classified as Conuropsis carolinensis. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.