Plum-Headed Parakeet

The plum-headed parakeet is a medium-sized parrot of striking beauty. This Asian parrot makes a good pet, as it is less aggressive and possessive than some other parrot species, and it gets along well with others. It is less demanding of an owner's time than many other parrots, but it still needs regular interaction to remain socialized. Plum-headed parakeets are a dimorphic species, so it is relatively easy to tell mature males and females apart by the color variants of their plumage. The body of both sexes is primarily green with varying shades occurring on the breast, abdomen, back, and wings. Males have purplish-red heads that are outlined by a black ring around the neck. Females exhibit blue-gray feathers on their heads and lack the black neck stripe. Instead, many of them have yellow-tinged feathers around their necks. Many of these birds—especially the males—are good talkers. The chattering that begins at about 6 to 8 months of age may give way to coherent mimicry very soon if an owner is willing to talk regularly to the bird. Speech is not a universal skill, and some birds will never exhibit this talent.