Читать книгу Birds For Dummies - Gina Spadafori - Страница 41

When Americans think “parakeet,” they’re usually picturing what the rest of the world calls a budgerigar, or budgie (see the next section). A budgie is a parakeet, but to believe that it’s the only parakeet sadly ignores some of the more magnificent pet birds available. Most popular among these birds are the Asiatic parakeets — ringnecks, Alexandrians, derbians (also known as the Lord Derby parakeet), plum-heads, and mustached parakeets. As a group, they’re known for flashy, vibrant color and long, elegant tails.

Once considered hands-off aviary birds, Asiatic parakeets are gaining ground as more up-close-and-personal pets. When captive raised and well socialized, some of these birds have great potential as affectionate companions and even great talkers — one of the better talkers Brian has ever met is a blue Indian ringneck parakeet named Sid. These species are gorgeous in an aviary, however, and seem to be happy there, too. Some Asiatic parakeets — either in the home or the aviary — have a pleasant and soothing call, while others have a reputation for being moderately noisy.

Parakeets have a wide price range. Smaller, more common varieties may cost as little as $20 to $50. Prices climb according to color or species rarity, to as much as $800 or $1,000. Life spans for well-cared-for birds run from 20 to 40 years. Kim’s African ringneck parakeet, Larry, lived to be 29 years old.

The Asiatics aren’t the only parakeets around. One popular parakeet native to South America is the Quaker, also called the Monk. Quakers are so adept at establishing themselves in the wild in places where they don’t belong, however, that some states and countries don’t allow them to be kept as pets. If your part of the world doesn’t have a regulation against ownership, though, these parakeets can be good companions. (Check with your local agriculture department for restrictions.) States that prohibit or restrict keeping Quaker parakeets include California, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Wyoming.

Quakers are handsome green-and-silver birds with decent talking potential and affectionate natures, when raised and handled properly. Prices are reasonable for these charmers, from $300 to $700, with an average of $475.

Quaker parakeets earned their name because of the way babies “quake” when being fed in the nest.

The Brotogeris gang are also parakeets of South American origin. These little guys love riding in pockets, are pretty quiet, and aren’t very messy. Primarily green in color with small, contrasting markings, Brotogeris are big guys in little bodies — some even like to pick fights with much bigger birds! The canary-winged parakeet — green with bright yellow under the wings — and gray-cheeked are two of the more commonly available Brotogeris parakeets in the United States. A little more expensive than some other parakeets, well-socialized individuals can start at $400 and go up from there. The Brotogeris species are difficult to breed and rear successfully, making them less common than in years past.