Multicolored flat-tailed parrot

Variegated Parakeet (Psephotus varius)

APPEARANCE OF COLORED FLAT-TAILED PARROTS

A small parakeet with a body length of 28 cm and a weight of about 70 grams. The species is characterized by sexual dimorphism. Males are mostly turquoise in color, with yellow-orange spots on the forehead and shoulders, the undertail is also yellow. The lower abdomen is brick red. The flight feathers of the wings and tail are dark blue. The females are much paler in color. The main color of the body is brown-olive. The beak is grey-black. The eyes are brown, the paws are grey. Young individuals are colored like adult females. The life expectancy of multi-colored parrots with proper care is about 12 – 15 years. 

HABITAT AND LIFE IN NATURE OF MULTICOLORED PARROTS

A species of multicolored flat-tailed parrot lives in arid regions throughout Australia. Prefer to settle in open dry forests with different plant composition, it can also fly into dry coastal forests and agricultural land. They feed mainly on seeds of various plants, acacia seeds, berries, fruits, and sometimes insects. They usually feed on the ground among grasses, along roadsides. Usually active in the early morning and at dusk, they prefer to wait out the heat in the shade of trees.

BREEDING MULTICOLORED PARROTS

The nesting period of multi-colored flat-tailed parrots falls on July-December. They nest in hollows of trees, in rock crevices. The clutch usually contains 4-7 eggs, only the female incubates for 19 days. Chicks leave the nest at the age of 4-5 weeks and their parents feed them for almost a month. Most often, two species of the Parakeet genus are kept at home – song and multi-colored parrots. A clear advantage of these wonderful birds is their voice (it is especially melodic in males of the song parrot) and the bright colors of these birds. They are not “gnawing” species, so you can be calm about your furniture. They can be kept with other peaceful bird species in spacious aviaries (they can be songbirds, turtle doves or other pigeons), but you should not settle several males in one cage or aviary, as they will definitely fight. Unfortunately, these birds do not have “conversational” talents. 

MAINTENANCE AND CARE OF MULTICOLORED FLAT-TAILED PARROTS

For the maintenance of multi-colored flat-tailed parrots, a spacious cage or aviary with a length of 1 meter or more is required. They will feel great in an aviary about 3 meters long, where the birds can fly without limiting themselves. In the cage, you need to install perches with bark of a suitable size at different levels. Do not forget about feeders, drinkers. Birds love to swim, so a bathing suit will not be superfluous. Parrots will also enjoy swings, ladders and ropes.

NUTRITION OF COLORED PARROTS

Multi-colored parakeets are quite picky in food. To compose the diet, you need to use a grain mixture containing various types of millet, canary seed, oats, safflower, buckwheat, hemp, sunflower seeds. They are very fond of weed seeds (plantain, post-herb female, etc.), Senegalese millet, germinated grain. Do not forget about green fodder – dandelion, wood lice, chard, lettuce. From fruits, an apple, pear, citrus fruits, bananas, pomegranates, cactus fruits, kiwi, etc. are suitable. 

BREEDING OF COLORED FLAT-TAILED PARROTS IN HOME CONDITIONS

At home, multi-colored flat-tailed parrots breed quite well. However, for these purposes it is better to use an aviary in which one pair of birds must be placed. Birds must be healthy, molted, must not be relatives. Birds must be over 2 years old. In preparation for nesting, the birds gradually increase the daylight hours with the help of artificial lighting and introduce more sprouted grains and protein feed of animal origin into the diet. Usually, males begin to “lek” in front of the female, the couple gently cares for each other. After preparing the birds, a nesting house is placed in the aviary with dimensions of 25x25x30 cm and a summer entrance of 7-8 cm. Medium-sized hardwood shavings are poured into the house. After the first egg is laid, protein feed and germinated grains must be removed from the diet before the first chick hatches. After all the chicks are born, you can also include more greens, berries, fruits and vegetables in the diet. After leaving the nest, the chicks behave rather clumsily, often falling off the perches. After the young birds become independent, they must be separated from their parents, since over time, conflicts will begin between adult birds and young people. In general, multi-colored parakeets are quite pleasant pets, they sing well and do not make very loud sounds, which is typical of other types of parrots. It is necessary to protect them from drafts, dampness and low temperatures.