Parakeet

Budgerigar Parakeets
Parakeet is the common term for the members of more than 100 species of small, slender parrots scattered over more than a dozen genera in the subfamily Psittacinae of the family Psittacidae. Parakeets (or parrakeets) typically are characterized by a long, tapering tail, are seed-eating, and form flocks. Many species, such as the budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus), are popular as pets and kept in cages.
Parakeets add to the human wonder of nature, with their various colors, behaviors, sounds, and, for some species, ability to mimic human speech. Yet, human activities have not always been so beneficial for parakeets. The Carolina parakeet was the only parrot species native to the eastern United States, but became extinct in the early twentieth century due to a loss of habitat and overhunting.

Contents

1 Overview
2 Select genera and species of parakeets
3 Carolina parakeet
4 References
5 Credits


Overview
Parrots or psittacines, comprise an order (Psittaciformes) of birds that includes about 350 species. Parrots usually are grouped into two families—the Cacatuidae (cockatoo), and the Psittacidae (parrots), but one may find many variations. In addition to birds called cockatoos and true parrots, the order includes birds with the common names of parakeets, lories, lorikeets, kakapos, rosellas, racquet-tails, lovebirds, macaws, and amazons, among others.
All members of the order have a generally erect stance and a characteristic curved beak shape with the upper mandible having slight mobility in the joint with the skull. All parrots are zygodactyl, with two toes at the front of each foot and two at the back, and all parrot eggs are white in color.
Parakeet is a term that encompasses diverse species, widely scattered taxonomically, within the subfamily Psittacinae of the family Psittacidae. The term mainly is used for small, long-tailed members of the Arini tribe in the Americas, and in Australia colloquially for many species. The term is descriptive and used for small, long-tailed parrots but does not imply an actual relationship between the different parakeets. Not all parakeets have long tails. An older orthography still sometimes encountered is paroquet.

Select genera and species of parakeets
Family Psittacidae

Subfamily Loriinae
Subfamily Psittacinae
Tribe Platycercini
Genus Eunymphicus
Horned Parakeet, Eunymphicus cornutus
Uvea Parakeet, Eunymphicus uvaeensis
Genus Cyanoramphus
Black-fronted Parakeet, Cyanoramphus zealandicus (extinct, c.1850)
Society Parakeet, Cyanoramphus ulietanus (extinct, late 18th century)
Antipodes Parakeet, Cyanoramphus unicolor
Red-crowned Parakeet, Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae
Subantarctic Red-crowned Parakeet, Cyanoramphus erythrotis
Reischek's Parakeet, Cyanoramphus (erythrotis) hochstetteri
Yellow-fronted Parakeet, Cyanoramphus auriceps
Chatham Parakeet, Cyanoramphus forbesi
Malherbe's Parakeet, Cyanoramphus malherbi
Genus Barnardius - sometimes included in Platycercus
Australian Ringneck, Barnardius zonarius (includes Port Lincoln, Mallee Ringneck, Cloncurry and Twenty Eight parakeets)
Genus Melopsittacus
Budgerigar, Melopsittacus undulatus
Tribe Psittaculini
Genus Psittacula
Alexandrine Parakeet, Psittacula eupatria
Seychelles Parakeet, Psittacula wardi (extinct)
Rose-ringed Parakeet, Psittacula krameri
Réunion Parakeet, Psittacula (eques) eques (extinct, disputed)
Mauritius Parakeet, Psittacula (eques) echo
Newton's Parakeet, Psittacula exsul (extinct)
Slaty-headed Parakeet, Psittacula himalayana
Grey-headed Parakeet, Psittacula finschii
Plum-headed Parakeet, Psittacula cyanocephala
Blossom-headed Parakeet, Psittacula roseata
Malabar Parakeet, Psittacula columboides
Layard's Parakeet, Psittacula calthropae
Derbyan Parakeet, Psittacula derbiana
Red-breasted Parakeet, Psittacula alexandri
Nicobar Parakeet, Psittacula caniceps
Long-tailed Parakeet, Psittacula longicauda
Tribe Arini
Genus Guarouba
Golden Parakeet, Guarouba guarouba
Genus Conuropsis
Carolina Parakeet, Conuropsis carolinensis (extinct)
Genus Aratinga
Blue-crowned Parakeet, Aratinga acuticaudata
Green Parakeet, Aratinga holochlora
Pacific Parakeet, Aratinga strenua
Socorro Parakeet, Aratinga brevipes
Red-throated Parakeet, Aratinga rubritorquis
Scarlet-fronted Parakeet, Aratinga wagleri
Mitred Parakeet, Aratinga mitrata
Chapman's Mitred Parakeet, Aratinga alticola
Hocking's Parakeet, Aratinga hockingi
Red-masked Parakeet, Aratinga erythrogenys
Crimson-fronted Parakeet, Aratinga finschi
White-eyed Parakeet, Aratinga leucophthalmus
Cuban Parakeet, Aratinga euops
Guadeloupe Parakeet, Aratinga labati (extinct)
Hispaniolan Parakeet, Aratinga chloroptera
Sun Parakeet, Aratinga solstitialis
Sulphur-breasted Parakeet, Aratinga pintoi
Jandaya Parakeet, Aratinga jandaya
Golden-capped Parakeet, Aratinga auricapilla
Dusky-headed Parakeet, Aratinga weddellii
Brown-throated Parakeet, Aratinga pertinax
Olive-throated Parakeet, Aratinga nana
Orange-fronted Parakeet, Aratinga canicularis
Peach-fronted Parakeet, Aratinga aurea
Caatinga Parakeet, Aratinga cactorum
Genus Nandayus
Nanday Parakeet, Nandayus nenday
Genus Leptosittaca
Golden-plumed Parakeet, Leptosittaca branickii
Genus Pyrrhura
Blue-throated Parakeet, Pyrrhura cruentata.
Maroon-bellied Parakeet, Pyrrhura frontalis.
Blaze-winged Parakeet, Pyrrhura (frontalis) devillei.
Crimson-bellied Parakeet, Pyrrhura perlata (formerly P. rhodogaster).
Pearly Parakeet, Pyrrhura lepida (formerly P. perlata).
Green-cheeked Parakeet, Pyrrhura molinae.
Painted Parakeet, Pyrrhura picta.
Hellmayr's Parakeet, Pyrrhura (picta) amazonum.
Madeira Parakeet, Pyrrhura (picta/amazonum) snethlageae.
Deville's Parakeet, Pyrrhura (picta) lucianii.
Red-crowned Parakeet, Pyrrhura (picta) roseifrons. (not to be confused with Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae).
Wavy-breasted Parakeet, Pyrrhura (picta/roseifrons) peruviana.
Sinú Parakeet, Pyrrhura (picta) subandina (possibly extinct).
Todd's (Perijá) Parakeet, Pyrrhura (picta) caeruleiceps.
Fiery-shouldered Parakeet, Pyrrhura egregia.
White-eared (Maroon-faced) Parakeet, Pyrrhura leucotis.
Grey-breasted Parakeet, Pyrrhura (leucotis) griseipectus.
Pfrimer's Parakeet, Pyrrhura (leucotis) pfrimeri.
Venezuelan Parakeet, Pyrrhura (leucotis) emma.
Santa Marta Parakeet, Pyrrhura viridicata.
Maroon-tailed Parakeet, Pyrrhura melanura.
El Oro Parakeet, Pyrrhura orcesi.
Black-capped (Rock) Parakeet, Pyrrhura rupicola.
White-necked Parakeet, Pyrrhura albipectus.
Flame-winged (Brown-breasted) Parakeet, Pyrrhura calliptera.
Red-eared Parakeet, Pyrrhura hoematotis.
Rose-headed (Rose-crowned) Parakeet, Pyrrhura rhodocephala.
Sulphur-winged Parakeet, Pyrrhura hoffmanni.
Genus Enicognathus
Austral Parakeet, Enicognathus ferrugineus
Slender-billed Parakeet, Enicognathus leptorhynchus
Genus Myiopsitta
Monk Parakeet, Myiopsitta monachus
Cliff Parakeet, Myiopsitta luchsi
Genus Bolborhynchus
Andean Parakeet, Bolborhynchus orbygnesius
Barred Parakeet, Bolborhynchus lineola
Rufous-fronted Parakeet, Bolborhynchus ferrugineifrons
Genus Psilopsiagon
Grey-hooded Parakeet, Psilopsiagon aymara
Mountain Parakeet, Psilopsiagon aurifrons
Genus Brotogeris
Plain Parakeet, Brotogeris tirica
Canary-winged Parakeet, Brotogeris versicolurus
Yellow-chevroned Parakeet, Brotogeris chiriri
Gray-cheeked Parakeet, Brotogeris pyrrhopterus
Orange-chinned Parakeet, Brotogeris jugularis
Cobalt-winged Parakeet, Brotogeris cyanoptera
Tui Parakeet, Brotogeris sanctithomae
Golden-winged Parakeet, Brotogeris chrysopterus
Carolina parakeet
The Carolina parakeet was the only parrot species native to the eastern United States. The last wild specimen was killed in Okeechobee County in Florida in 1904, and the last captive bird died at the Cincinnati Zoo in 1918. This was the male specimen "Incas," who died within a year of his mate "Lady Jane." It was not until 1939, however, that it was determined that the Carolina parakeet had ceased to be.
The Carolina parakeet died out because of a number of different threats, and in particular, a loss of habitat and overhunting. To make space for more agricultural land, large areas of forest were cut down, taking away its living space. The colorful feathers (green body, yellow head, and red around the bill) were in demand as decorations in ladies' hats, and the birds were kept as pets. Even though the birds bred easily in captivity, little was done by owners to increase the population of tamed birds. Finally, they were killed in large numbers because farmers considered them a pest, although many farmers valued them for controlling invasive cockleburs.
A factor that contributed to their extinction was the unfortunate flocking behavior that led them to return immediately to a location where some of the birds had just been killed. This led to even more being shot by hunters as they gathered about the wounded and dead members of the flock.
This combination of factors extirpated the species from most of its range until the early years of the twentieth century. However, the last populations were not much hunted for food or feathers, nor did the farmers in rural Florida consider them a pest as the benefit of the birds' love of cockleburs clearly outweighed the minor damage they did to the small-scale garden plots. The final extinction of the species is somewhat of a mystery, but the most likely cause seems to be that the birds succumbed to poultry disease, as suggested by the rapid disappearance of the last, small, but apparently healthy and reproducing flocks of these highly social birds. If this is true, the very fact that the Carolina parakeet finally was tolerated to roam in the vicinity of human settlements proved its undoing (Snyder and Russell 2002).

ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
Alderton, D. A Birdkeeper's Guide to Budgies. Morris Plains, NJ: Tetra Press, 1988. ISBN 3923880758
Mancini, J. R. Parakeet. Hoboken, N. J.: Howell Book House/Wiley Pub., 2006. ISBN 0764599194
Snyder, N. F. R. and K. Russell. Carolina parakeet (Conuropsis carolinensis). In A. Poole and F. Gill, eds., The Birds of North America. Philadelphia, PA: The Birds of North America, 2002.

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