Red-breasted parakeet (Poicephalus rufiventris)
Contents
In the photo: red-breasted parakeet (Poicephalus rufiventris)
Order | Parrots |
family | Parrots |
Race | Parakeets |
Appearance of the red-breasted parakeet
The red-breasted parakeet is a short-tailed medium parrot with a body length of about 22 cm and a weight of 145 g. The male and female red-breasted parakeet have different colors. The male is gray-brown in front, interspersed with orange and brown on the head and chest. The lower part of the chest, belly and area under the wings are colored orange. The rump, undertail and thighs are green. The back is turquoise. Tail feathers with a blue tint. The beak is quite powerful gray-black. The periorbital ring is devoid of feathers and colored gray-brown. The eyes are orange-red. The females are more pale in color. The entire chest is gray-brown, fading to greenish on the belly and under the wings. The upper part is also green. There is no blue color in the color of females. The life expectancy of a red-chested parakeet with proper care is 20 – 25 years.
Habitat and life in nature of the red-breasted parakeet
The red-breasted parakeet lives in Somalia, northern and eastern Ethiopia as far south as northeast Tanzania. It lives at an altitude of 800 – 2000 meters above sea level in semi-arid regions, in dry shrub zones and acacia steppes. Avoids dense vegetation. In the diet, various types of seeds, dates, fruits, visit corn plantations. Usually found in pairs or family small flocks of 3-4 individuals. They keep close to water, often fly to the watering place.
Reproduction of the red-breasted parakeet
The breeding season in Tanzania falls on March-October, in Ethiopia it begins in May. Sometimes they nest colonially, at a distance of 100 – 200 m from each other. They nest in hollows and cavities of trees. The clutch usually contains 3 eggs. The female incubates the clutch for 24-26 days. The chicks leave the nest at 10 weeks of age. For some time, the chicks stay close to their parents, and they feed them.
