Hindi Name – Tota
Species – Psittacula krameri
Origin – Africa and the Indian Subcontinent
Size – 40 cms
Breeding season – September to December
Family – Rose Ring Parakeet is a medium sized parrot of the Psittaculidae Family.
Description – The rose-ringed parakeet adult male sports a red and black neck ring, and the hen and immature birds of both sexes either show no neck rings, or display shadow-like pale to dark grey neck rings. Both sexes have a distinctive green colour in the wild, and captive bred ringnecks have multiple colour mutations which include turquoise, cinnamon, olive, white, blue, violet, grey and yellow.
Breeding Season – Breeding season is September to December. They do not have life mates and often breed with another partner during the following breeding season. During this cold season, they select and defend nest sites, thus avoiding competition for sites with other birds.
Diet – Rose-ringed parakeets are herbivorous and usually feed on buds, fruits, vegetables, nuts, berries, and seeds.
Habitat – One of the few parrot species that have successfully adapted to living in disturbed habitats, it has withstood the onslaught of urbanisation and deforestation.
Key Features – It is a noisy species with an unmistakable squawking call. Captive individuals can be taught to speak.