Moustached Parrot - Psittacula alexandri

Taxonomy/Origins: This specie comes under the Asiatic group and has been recorded over a vast area, India, Nepal Lower Himalayas, Southern China to Java and Islands to the west of Sumatra.
It tends to prefer the lower elevations rarely going above 2500ft. They prefer semi open forest areas and will live close to agricultural areas.

Subspecies: There are 8 sub species or races, P.a. Kangeanenis , P.a. dammermani, P.a.perionca, P.a.major,P.a.cala, P.a.abbotti and P.a.fasciata.

Plumage Colouration: The Moustached Parrot is typical of a lot of Asiatic species, slim, attractivly shaped and a longish thin tail.Both sexes have a grey head and a green/grey back and nape, both have a salmon coloured chest extending half way to the vent.The male has a red upper mandible and his tail is approx. an inch longer.The pink chest is darker than the hen. The hen has a bluish tinge through the face region.
Immatures,on leaving the nest you can at times have a good chance of sexing them early. The hens head is more evenly arched from the cere to the back of the head.Young males tend to be flatter on the forehead and their is a pale grey brown and the hens seem to appear to have a darker bluish face.

Sexing: As above.

Feeding: Basic parrot/parakeet mix but reduce the Sunflower seeds in the warmer months, they are also fond of the smaller seeds which should be available to them at all times.
Rearing food is very important to ensure a full clutch to be reared.Sprouted sunflower seed,boiled corn,and green feed. Other extras can be soaked chick peas,raw corn.diced apple,cellery,grass stems and their seed heads,shell grit,coarse sand and pieces of charcole.As a treat a couple of times a week a piece of dried dog food(dog chow.
Prior to egg laying I add multi vitamins and liquid calcium to the rearing mix every second day.

Housing: They require aviary length rather than extra width as they are stong straight flyers and they do not seem to like being too close to people when breeding.My pairs are kept in aviaries 5mx1.2mx2.4m high most is covered in with a small section to let in the sun and rain.I recommend that you concider double wire as they will fight with birds in the aviary next to them especially during the breeding season.

Breeding: I use a good thick walled hollow log with mixture of sawdust and moistened wood dirt.For the best results I suggest you try and pair the birds up at a young age.The hens will at times dominate the males.Courtship starts in late winter and the hens can be seen begging to be fed. Nest inspection has generally already started by this stage. Egg laying generally commences early spring and clutches vary from 2 to 4 eggs, and the young fledge in 52 days. The young can be left in with the parents for 9 months but must then be removed as the parent will be ready to bred again.I should STRESS that palm fronds should be placed at the aviary front and leafy branches must be placed at the back so the young will hit the soft leaves and tumble to the floor of the aviary.This must be done prior to the young fledging. If you don't it is highly probable that the young will die of head injuries or severly damage their scalps.They are quite wild and don't seem to have a great amount of control with regard flying.

Hints/tips: Purchase birds of the same age,make food easily accessable(4feet from the floor)not low down.Regular daily feeds of rearing food and put in branches with blossoms,bark etc. to help to amuse them and to keep them busy.Put a natural branch high up where you want them to sleep and the new fledglings will camp there too.

Unique Characteristics: The Moustached Parrot will take a wide range of food offered, they are amusing to watch especially when having a bath under a hose sprinkler, they have a comical chatter and are extremely attentive to their offspring. The male jelously protect the young even from the female and will give give an alarm call as stangers approach the aviary.

This lovely member of the asiatics has many good qualities,not agressive, far less noisy than some of it's close relatives, not nervous and will not easily panic and is easily catered for.

My Awards: Received the R.W.Mckechnie Memorial Medal.
The first breeding of the White Tailed Black Cockatoo.
(Calyptorhynchusb.baudinii)the long billed race.

Feel free to get in touch for more information by;

Email: Fred Bohner c/o David Holmes