The Rose-ringed Parakeet, with its vibrant plumage, has become a common and controversial sight in cities worldwide.
A Touch of the Tropics in City Parks
Native to Africa and Asia, the Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) has conquered the world. With its apple-green plumage, coral-red beak, and long, elegant tail, it's impossible to miss. Once a popular cage bird, escaped and released individuals have established thriving feral populations in major cities from London to Brussels. Its spectacular success makes it a fascinating bird to watch, but also raises questions about its impact as an invasive species. Join us as we explore this charismatic and controversial survivor.
Our Ornithologist's Tip
By the Les-Oiseaux.com team, published on August 13, 2025.
My personal tip: To find the Rose-ringed Parakeet, just listen! Their loud, piercing calls, often made in flight, are a dead giveaway of their presence. Look for flocks flying swiftly and directly over parks and tree-lined streets. In the evening, you can witness them gathering noisily in communal "roosts," sometimes numbering in the hundreds of birds.
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Identifying the Rose-ringed Parakeet: Key Features
The Rose-ringed Parakeet is a medium-sized parrot, measuring around 40 cm (16 in) in length, including its long tail feathers. Its appearance is striking and easily recognizable.
Plumage: A vibrant, yellowish-green all over. The wings are a slightly darker green, and the underside of the long, pointed tail has bluish tones.
Beak: The hooked beak is typical of parrots. The upper mandible is bright red with a black tip, while the lower mandible is black.
Sexual Dimorphism: The adult male is distinguished by a clear black neck-ring and a pinkish band on the nape. Females and immature birds lack this colorful ring, though they may show a faint, shadow-like collar.
Flight: Their flight is fast and direct, with rapid, shallow wing beats.
The sexual dimorphism is clear: the male (identifiable by his collar) and the female.
Numerous color mutations (blue, lutino, albino) exist in captivity but are extremely rare in feral populations.
Call: A Loud, Metallic Screech
The Rose-ringed Parakeet is far from discreet. It is a very noisy bird, communicating with a variety of high-pitched, piercing, and metallic calls. The most common call is a screeching "kee-ak" or "kriik," repeated several times, both in flight and when perched. These constant squawks allow flocks to stay in contact.
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Behavior: An Intense Social Life
The Rose-ringed Parakeet is a gregarious bird that lives in flocks year-round. These groups can become very large, especially in the evening when birds gather at communal roosts, often in tall trees like plane trees, creating an impressive soundscape. It is a diurnal and arboreal bird, spending most of its time foraging in trees.
Its diet is vegetarian, consisting of a wide variety of seeds, fruits, berries, flowers, and buds. It is highly opportunistic and has learned to exploit resources offered by urban environments, such as fruits from ornamental trees and seeds from bird feeders.
For nesting, the Rose-ringed Parakeet is a cavity-nester. It uses existing cavities, such as old woodpecker nests or holes in mature trees. This is where competition with native fauna (woodpeckers, nuthatches, starlings, bats) can occur. The female lays 3 to 4 eggs, which she incubates for about 23 days. The young, fed by both parents, leave the nest after about 40 days.
Habitat and Distribution
The native range of the Rose-ringed Parakeet covers two distinct areas: a broad band in sub-Saharan Africa (from Senegal to Ethiopia) and a vast part of the Indian subcontinent and Myanmar. There, it inhabits wooded savannas, agricultural areas, and light forests, often sharing these habitats with birds like the Lappet-faced Vulture and the Red-billed Hornbill.
As an introduced species, it has successfully established itself on every continent except Antarctica. In Europe, it is particularly common in major cities in the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Spain, and France. It favors urban parks, large gardens, and suburban areas with tall trees for nesting and roosting.
Distribution Map
Conservation Status
Globally, the Rose-ringed Parakeet is listed as "Least Concern" (LC) on the IUCN Red List. This classification is due to its extremely large range and its global populations, which are considered stable or even increasing.
This status presents a paradox. While the species is not threatened globally, its introduced populations in Europe and elsewhere are considered invasive. This is due to their impact on local ecosystems, primarily through competition for nesting sites with native species and potential damage to agricultural crops and orchards. Management strategies in some areas aim to control their numbers to mitigate these impacts.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the Rose-ringed Parakeet
Is the Rose-ringed Parakeet an invasive species?
Yes, in many countries where it has been introduced, including the UK and much of Europe, the Rose-ringed Parakeet is considered an invasive species. Its adaptability allows it to compete with native wildlife for resources, especially nesting cavities needed by birds like woodpeckers, starlings, and some bats.
Where did the parakeets in London and other European cities come from?
Europe's feral populations of Rose-ringed Parakeets originated from pet birds that either escaped or were deliberately released. Native to tropical Africa and Asia, these hardy birds have proven remarkably successful at adapting to urban and suburban environments, with major populations thriving since the 1970s.
Is the neck ring visible on all Rose-ringed Parakeets?
No, the distinct neck ring is the key feature of the adult male. It consists of a black band on the throat and a pinkish-red collar on the nape. Females and juvenile birds lack this well-defined ring, making them easy to distinguish from adult males.
What do Rose-ringed Parakeets eat?
They are mainly granivorous and frugivorous. Their diet is highly varied and opportunistic, including seeds, fruits, berries, flowers, buds, and nectar. In urban areas, they readily exploit fruit trees in parks and gardens and are frequent visitors to bird feeders.
