Scientific Name: Psittacula Derbiana
Origin: India and China
Average Lifespan: 20 – 30 years
Size: 19.5 inches
Sounds: Loud, chatterer
Interaction: Highly Social
Physical Characteristics of Derbyan Parakeet
The Derbyan Parakeet is one of the exquisite looking parakeets that is sought after by bird collectors around the world. Its plumage is generally green with black or grey cheeks. Likewise, the part between its eyes and its bill are black. Its legs and feet as well as its wing coverts are a mauve to slightly blue-grey in color. Its wings are dark green with large patches of yellow. Its head is a striking blue color which makes the breed attractive.
The male Derbyan has a red upper beak, while the female has an entirely black beak. Both of the sexes have pale yellow eyes. The female has a brown band behind its ear coverts.
The juveniles can be distinguished from their parents by their green crowns and napes. Both young male and female Derbyan have pink upper and lower beak. The colorful adult plumage is attained only after two years.
Personality and Temperament
The Derbyan Parakeet is a wonderful pet and is one of the most popular parrots because of its colorful plumage. Aside from its physical characteristics, this breed is also known for its high intelligence and great talking ability. It can resemble some sounds it hears from the surroundings although it does not acquire a very extensive vocabulary. Nevertheless, it can be a source of delight because of its funny tactics to get the attention of the people around it. Like most of the parakeet species, it loves to chew so the owners may want to provide it with chewable toys to make it busy. Otherwise, this pet will chew on anything it can hold.
The Derbyan Parakeet is a great parent and breeds easily even in captivity. The usual breeding season is from April to June. It usually lays 2 to 4 eggs which have an incubation period of 23 to 28 days. After which, the chicks fledge when they are 8 to 9 weeks of age.
This breed is a gifted talker. Both the male and female have the ability to imitate sounds it hears from the surroundings. It has a clear and loud voice and can be trained to talk. Each parrot, though, has the distinct ability in talking which means that others may learn to talk easily and others may not. The owners should recognize that each bird is unique, and thus, be patient in dealing with it. Noises as contact calls from this parakeet are usually heard in the morning, at noon time and at night.
Health and Care
As the Derbyan Parakeet is a very active bird, it needs a spacious cage for it to exercise, climb around, swing from its perches or hang upside down. Boredom can be avoided if this active bird will be provided with chew toys, which should be regularly replaced to avoid health problems. The best cages are those that are previously powder coated and have thicker bars.
As to its diet, the Derbyan Parakeet eats a variety of foods such as fruits, vegetables and leafy greens. In addition to this, you can provide your pet with vitamin laced pellet seeds which are readily available in local pet shops. It is very important to remember to never feed your parakeet with avocado and chocolates as these can be harmful to your pet. If properly taken care of, this breed will live up to 20 to 30 years.
History and Background
The Derbyan Parakeet is restricted to the remote areas in southwestern part of China and the northern parts of India. In its natural habitat, this species is often seen in large flock of forty to sixty birds. However, due to deforestation and trappings, this once abundant species has become almost extinct. Moreover, it has been illegally been sought after in China by the wealthy bird collectors. It is sold at a very high price especially the talking Derbyan Parakeets. Today, thanks to the relentless efforts of the Derbyan enthusiasts, this breed has been thriving in number both in captivity and in the wild.