Common Names: Moustached Parakeets, Mustached Parakeets, Red-breasted Parakeet
Scientific Name: Psittacula alexandri
Origin: Indonesia, Andaman Islands, Southeast Asia
Relative Size: 14 inches
Weight: 120-130 grams
Average Lifespan: 20-30 years
Egg Clutch: 2-4 eggs
Incubation: 22 days
Talking Ability: Good
Appearance
Moustached Parakeets have beautiful, colorful plumage. They are dimorphic, which means that the males and females are different in appearance. Males have bright orange/red bills and females have jet black beaks. One of their outstanding traits is their salmon-colored chest. The male’s chest tends to be brighter than the female’s, but she is just as stunning as her mate. These birds have a black bib under their beaks, which extends along the jaw line. Like most parrots from Asia, they also have a black line that extends from the nostrils to the eyes. Both male and females have a blue-grey cap, and their wings have yellow patches intermixed with lime green.
Juveniles resemble their parents, but their colors are a lot duller. It can take over a year, and sometimes as much as three years, for young parrots to come into full color. These young parrots have black eyes, grayish heads, and green bodies with orange beaks. Their beaks usually change color when they are between five and eight months old.
Disposition
Moustached Parakeets are fun, intelligent, and very playful birds that are entertaining to watch and can be trained to talk. They love to explore and chew, so owners should ensure their birds have plenty of toys with wood and leather.
These parakeets are not usually “cuddly”, but they do like human attention. Being stroked in the direction that their feathers grow seems to be enjoyed, especially around the neck area. The more these parrots are handled and touched, the more they appear to enjoy it.
Because of their intelligence, training and discipline are needed. Some owners report that these birds can be bossy or needy, so make sure you set boundaries and teach them to respect you. If you think you might have a problem with training or discipline, this then this may not be the right bird for you.
These birds can bond to one just one person or go to multiple people, and this usually has to do with what they are exposed to at a young age. Moustached Parakeets that are well socialized and handled daily from an early age are friendly and affectionate and make lovely pets.
Most owners enjoy having these birds perched on their shoulders. Moustached Parakeets are curious by nature. They often try to climb down and investigate anything their owners are doing, such as reading, cooking, or doing household chores.
As for talking ability, males seem to be more gifted than females but both can learn to talk. It’s important that these parrots not be purchased solely on their reputation for being great talkers, because not all birds will learn to talk and the owner may be disappointed.
In general, these birds are quieter than many parrots, however, they can be expected to make contact calls every morning, noon, and night. If the parrot is a talker, most will substitute a great deal of their contact calls with talking, which is advantageous to the owner and others.
These curious, intelligent, and attractive birds are often referred to as the best kept secrets of the parrot world. They have sweet personalities and make wonderful pets when they are well socialized.
It just so happens that we currently have some baby Moustached Parakeets at the store right now. If you’re interested in adding one of our babies to your family or just want to see one in person, please stop by!
Baby Moustached Parakeets at Tree Top!
Aren’t they cute?
Birdiacs 