Derbyan Parakeets or Derbyan Parrots

The Derbyan Parakeet, Psittacula derbiana is endemic to Southeastern Tibet, northeastern India and southwestern China; and is now confined to small pockets of moist evergreen forest in the hills of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh and the Chinese province on its border.

This species suffers from poaching for the illegal wildlife trade and fetches a high price in the black market. It is perhaps the rarest of all species of Psittacula in mainland Asia.

Their natural diet consists of fruits, berries, seeds and leaf buds.

Description:

The Derbyan Parakeet is larger than most parakeets. Adult Derbyans average 20 inches (50 centimeters). It is said to be similar in size to the popular Alexandrine Parakeet. These birds are sexually dimorphic, meaning that males and females may be distinguished visually.

The plumage is green with black lower cheeks and lores (the regions between the eyes and bill on the side of a bird's head). Parts of their thighs and wing covets are a mauve to slightly grey-blue and they have striking violet blue heads. Males have a red upper beak, while the females have an entirely black beak. They have pale yellow eyes and grey feet.

The female may also be distinguished from the male by the presence of a brown band behind the ear-coverts. Her abdomen plumage is, slightly paler and she has a black upper beak.

Immature Derbyan Parakeets are easily distinguished from adults because they have green crowns and napes, upper and lower beak in both males and females are pink. Additionally, their irises are dark, and do not get light until they reach maturity. Young males have a slightly paler abdomen plumage. Adult plumage is attained by two years.

Derbyans as a Pet and in Aviculture:

The Derbyan Parakeet is a popular pet because of its wonderful colored plumage, its intelligence and its excellent talking abilities, which differentiates it from other Asiatic Parakeets, who usually don't have the clarity of voice. Even though the Derbyans don't have the ability to learn an extensive vocabulary, the way they speak resembles the speech of the Amazon Parrots. This being said, there never are any guarantees that a Derbyan Parrot will learn to talk, but most do - even the females.

This is a very intelligent parrot that needs plenty of stimulation. It loves to chew and can be quite destructive, providing your Derbian with a variety of chew toys will inhibit destructive behavior. Additionally, they should be given a large number of toys, to help prevent boredom.

The Derbyan Parrot is also popular among aviculturists for several reasons, including its striking plumage, its ease of breeding and excellent parenting skills.

The Derbyan Parakeet reaches sexual maturity between 2 and 3 years of age. It has been reported that they may reach sexual maturity later in the wild, possibly as late as 5 years.

The Derbyan Parakeet makes an excellent parent and breeds readily in captivity. The typical breeding season will begin in April or June and clutch sizes average 2 - 4 eggs. The incubation period lasts for 23 - 28 days, and chicks fledge at 8 to 9 weeks of age.

Housing:

The Derbyan should either be kept in an aviary, or in a cage with plenty of supervised "out-of-cage" time. Derbyan's are social animals and like to be "part of a flock" -- which could be a group of birds in an aviary setting or a loving human family. Regular handling / plenty of interaction is required to maintain your Derbyan's tameness. Derbyan's are naturally shy of the human touch and are generally considered placid when compared to some other parakeets.

Derbyan Parakeets that are kept outdoors may require regular worming -- as they spend considerable time on the bottom of their aviaries or cages. Because of this habit, they are also susceptible to fungal infections. Good sanitation is particularly important for anyone keeping this parrot.

Training and Behavioral Guidance:

The Derbyan Parakeet can get quite noisy, which needs to be considered when deciding to bring one home. They may not be well suited for apartment living. Some Derbyan enthusiasts feel that the noise levels are tolerable, provided the Derbyan Parrot is kept singly and is given plenty of attention.

Consistent training and behavioral guidance from a young age is recommended to ensure potential owners enjoy a bird free of destructive and annoying habits.

Behavioral challenges that ringnecks present include:

• Chewing: Any parrot will chew. In nature, they use their beak to "customize" their favorite tree, to enlarge the size of their nest in a tree hollow. Doing this keeps their beaks in good condition. The problem is excessive and undesirable chewing. Undisciplined ringnecks may chew on electric wiring potentially causing house fires. The owner needs to provide plenty of "healthy" chewing opportunities (bird toys, natural wood branches, etc.) and training is necessary to teach a parrot what is "off-limits."

• Jealousy / Aggression: The ringneck parrots can be jealous of other family members and pets. They can develop a bond with only one human and refuse to interact with other people, even attacking them in some cases. Although this is a small bird it does not seem to believe so, and will attack larger birds and even dogs if it feels it or its human is threatened. Owners should be cautious in multiple-pet homes. Continuing to socialize the hand reared pet bird from a young age and letting many people handle and interact with it can prevent single-person bonding and allow it to become an excellent family pet.



• Noise: They can be noisy - albeit not as noisy as their larger cousins. Not everybody can tolerate the natural call of a ringneck parrot, and even though it can't (or should not) be entirely eliminated, there are ways to discourage screaming / screeching in your pet. Ringnecks are known for their talking and whistling ability, and teaching and encouraging your pet to talk is one way to reduce undesirable screeching in your pet.
  

Continuous obedience training is recommended ...

• AvianWeb Resources: I put together web resources for you to help you understand your pet bird and properly direct him. Please visit this website for valuable tips on parrot behavior and training. If you found a way to resolve a "parrot behavioral issue" please share it with others.


• If you are, as I am, a visual learner and prefer step-by-step instructions to train your pet, I recommend:
  
  • the Parrot Training Course to teach your parrot to:
    • Stop Biting
    • Perform Tricks &
    • Tame ANY SIZE bird you could possibly own
  • and/or try the "Teach Your Parrot to Talk" Training Course.

If you are considering one of these magnificent parrots as pets, please visit the following websites for information:

• Procuring your Parrot



• Click here for a Breeders Listing
  • Do you breed this species and would like to be listed? Click here to see your options.


• Ringnecks love to climb and play and need to be provided with a cage that allows them to move around freely and toys to entertain themselves with. Info on Housing Your Bird



• The 3 Key Elements to Your Pet Bird's Happiness and Health



• Training Your Bird



• Bird Nutrition



• Parrot Products

Taxonomy:

Species: Scientific: Psittacula derbyana aka Psittacula derbyana ... English: Derbyan Parakeet ... Dutch: Lord Derby's Parkiet, China Parkiet ... German: Chinasittich, Lord Derby's Edelsittich ... French: Perruche Derby ... CITES II - Endangered Species. Exact status not known

Distribution: north-eastern Assam, south-eastern Tibet, western China, western Szechwan, north-western Yunnan

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