12 Beautiful Species of Parakeets Found in India

Parrot family house roughly 393 species of birds and are among the most intelligent birds in the world along with crows and magpies. Parakeets are actually a type of green parrot from small to medium-sized and there are around 12 known species of parakeets found in India.

Rose-ringed Parakeet

Rose ringed parakeets are the medium sized parrot species found in India, Now introduced to many parts of the world. The green parrot species also often referred as the Indian ringneck parrot and larger than the African subspecies.

Alexandrine Parakeet

Alexandrine parakeet or Alexandrine parrots are large species with close relative to the rose-ringed parakeet. The green parrots lives in forest, woodland, nest in tree hollows and a very popular pet birds in India along with myna birds.

Blue-winged Parakeet

Blue winged parakeet is also known as the Malabar parakeet, endemic to the Western Ghats of India and known for their long blue tail tipped with yellow and dark blue wings. Malabar parakeet species is relative to Layard’s parakeet and nest in holes of trees like other species of parrots found in India.

Plum-headed Parakeet

Plum headed parakeet is endemic to the Indian Subcontinent, found in flocks as purple head and grey head green parrot. The green parrots are very beautiful species of parakeet, birds of forest and open woodland as well as the foothills of the Himalayas.

Slaty-headed Parakeet

Slaty headed parakeet range starts from Western Himalayas to northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, also found in Bhutan and Nepal. The natural habitat of this species is usually at an elevations of 460–2400 meters in the Himalayas and observed in small flocks.

Red-breasted Parakeet

Red breasted parakeet species has one of the most geographical variations, Mostly occurs in the Andaman islands but now some feral population also found in Indian cities of Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore.

Grey-headed Parakeet

Grey headed parakeet is very much related to the slaty headed parakeet but only found in nearly all of Northeast India. This species is usually found in elevations of 2,700 meters and always seen over the tip of oak, teak, pine and cedar trees.

Lord Derby’s Parakeet

Lord derby’s parakeet or Derbyan parakeet is a lesser known species of parrot found in India, Only lives in evergreen forest and high hills of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. The Derbyan parakeet is another bird of poaching and the illegal wildlife trade.

Nicobar Parakeet

Nicobar parakeet or Blyth’s parakeet is endemic to the Nicobar Islands, has a black stripe from the forehead and listed as near threatened. The Blyth’s parakeet parrot native to the Great Nicobar, Little Nicobar and feed on fruits of tall trees.

Blossom-headed Parakeet

Blossom headed parakeet is a resident breeder of Northeast India and similar to plum-headed parakeet but only different from head colour. The red head parrot has two subspecies and a beautiful bird of forest and open woodland.

Long-tailed Parakeet

The long-tailed parakeet is one of the lesser known species and endemic to Andaman and Nicobar islands of India, also called as Andaman long-tailed parakeet.

Vernal Hanging Parrot (Loriculus vernalis)

Vernal Hanging Parrot is the resident breeder of the Indian subcontinent and also found in areas of Southeast Asia. The small green hanging parrot also nests in tree holes, found usually in small groups and a beautiful green bird of jungle and cultivation. Photo Credit – PrasadDatar.