Parakeet is a term for any one of a large number of unrelated small to medium sized
speciesIn biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of
parrotParrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
, that generally have long tail
featherFeathers are one of the epidermal growths that form the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on birds and some non-avian theropod dinosaurs. They are considered the most complex integumentary structures found in vertebrates, and indeed a premier example of a complex evolutionary novelty. They...
s. Older spellings still sometimes encountered are
paroquet or
paraquet.
Species
The term
Grass Parakeet (or
Grasskeet) refers to a large number of small Australian parakeets native to grasslands such as
NeophemaThe genus Neophema is an Australian genus of broad-tailed parrots with six or seven species. They are small parakeets with a more or less dull green basic color with some contrasting colorful patches, and are commonly known as grass parrots...
and
Princess ParrotThe colourful Princess Parrot, Polytelis alexandrae, is an Australian bird of the parrot family. Its name was given in honour of Princess Alexandra of Denmark, who later married the Prince of Wales Edward VII and eventually became the Queen of England...
. The Australian
rosellaA rosella is one of five to eight species of colorful Australian parrots in the genus Platycercus. Platycercus means "broad-tailed" or "flat-tailed", reflecting a feature common to the rosellas and other members of the broad-tailed parrot tribe...
s are also parakeets. Many of the smaller, long-tailed species of
loriesLory may refer to:*Lory, one of a number parrot species belonging the Loriinae subfamily comprising lories and lorikeets*Lory , a parrot character in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll-See also:...
may be referred to as lorikeets.
The term Ringnecked Parakeet refers to a species of the
PsittaculaMembers of the parrot genus Psittacula or Afro-Asian Ringnecked parakeets as they are commonly known in aviculture originates found from Africa to South-East Asia. It is a widespread group, with a clear concentration of species in south Asia, but also with representatives in Africa and the islands...
genus native to Africa and Asia that is popular as a pet and has become feral in many cities. It should not be confused with the
Australian RingneckThe Australian Ringneck is a parrot native to Australia. Except for extreme tropical and highland areas, the species has adapted to all conditions...
.
In
avicultureAviculture is the practice of keeping and breeding birds and the culture that forms around it. Aviculture is generally focused on not only the raising and breeding of birds, but also on preserving avian habitat, and public awareness campaigns....
the term
conureConures are a diverse, loosely-defined group of small to medium-sized parrots. They belong to several genera within a long-tailed group of the New World Parrot subfamily Arinae. The term "conure" is used primarily in bird keeping, though it has appeared in some scientific journals...
is used for small to medium sized parakeets of the genera
AratingaAratinga is a genus of American parakeets. They belong to the long-tailed group and are among the genera often called conures in aviculture. Most are predominantly green, although a few are predominantly yellow or orange. They are social and commonly seen in groups in the wild...
,
PyrrhuraPyrrhura is a genus of parrots in the Arini tribe. They occur in tropical and subtropical South America and southern Central America . Most are restricted to humid forest and adjacent habitats, but one species, the Blaze-winged Parakeet, prefers deciduous or gallery woodland, and another, the...
, and a few other genere of the tribe Arini, which are mainly endemic to South America. As they are not all from one genus, taxonomists tend to dislike the term.
Other South American species commonly called parakeets include the
BrotogerisBrotogeris is a genus of small parrots endemic to Central and South America. The closest relative is the Monk Parakeet. They eat seeds and fruit.-Taxonomy:List of species of the genus:* Plain Parakeet, Brotogeris tirica...
parakeets,
Monk ParakeetThe Monk Parakeet, also known as the Quaker Parrot, is a species of parrot, in most treatments the only member of the genus Myiopsitta. It originates from the temperate to subtropical areas of Argentina and the surrounding countries in South America...
and Lineolated Parakeets (although Lineolated Parakeets have short tails).
Some species, especially the larger parakeets, may be referred to as "parrot" or "parakeet" interchangeably. For example,
Alexandrine Parrot and
Alexandrine Parakeet are different names for the same species,
(Psittacula eupatria)The Alexandrine Parakeet or Alexandrian Parrot is a member of the psittaciformes order and of the psittacines family...
, one of the largest species called a parakeet.
Many different species of parakeets are often bred and sold commercially as pets, the
BudgerigarThe Budgerigar , also known as Common Pet Parakeet or Shell Parakeet informally nicknamed the budgie, is a small, long-tailed, seed-eating parrot, and the only species in the Australian genus Melopsittacus...
being among the most commonly sold in the U.S.
Breeding
Parakeets, Budgeriers, Keets, or Budgies, breed best in groups, but are usually fine breeding in pairs. Hearing other parakeets encourages a pair to breed, which is why breeding in groups is more successful. However, many breeders choose to breed in pairs because that way they know which parents produced any given offspring.