Indian Ringneck: Parrot Species Profile 2023

This bird is truly a sight for sore eyes. Also known as the rose-ringed parakeet, the Indian Ringneck Parrot is small in size, but in no way does that translate into a shortage of beauty. Predominantly covered by a smooth minty green plumage, the birds have long bluish green tails and wings that are splashed with a touch of the same blue. 

The difference between the males and females is simple. Males have more color. Males have a black collar and a band of pinkish feathers coming around the back of the neck. They also have a dollop of blue near the back of the head. Females lack the bands of color, but they do sometimes have a pale hint of color resembling a band at the neck. The beak color of both males and females is similar, with a red or orange upper half and a grayish black lower half. Their eyes are yellow.

Having been in captivity for a very long time, Indian Ringnecks actually have many color mutations created by humans. Besides the original green variety, there are several other pastel colors, such as yellow and blue, with variations on the tones and intensity of these colors. There is even a much sought after albino version.

In India, these birds thrived anywhere from forests to places almost desert like. Now that the birds are widely distributed and breed all over the world, they have established colonies in the wild many places. They have adapted well to farmland and cities. This bird is nowhere near the endangered species list. It’s numbers are swelling as we speak.