Species profile
Name: the ring necked parakeet (Psittacula krameri) – also known as the rose ringed parakeet – is a medium-sized parrot native to Africa and South Asia. Thanks to their popularity as pets they have been introduced to many other parts of the world.
Appearance: ring necked parakeets have beautiful green feathers. They are named after the red and black rings around their necks. These rings are most noticeable in adult males, with females and young birds have paler grey rings or none at all.
Size: they measure around 40 cm long with most of this length being made up of their tail feathers.
Diet: they feed on buds, fruits, vegetables, nuts, berries, and seeds. Flocks have been known to forage in farmlands and orchards causing conflict with farmers.
Did you know: thanks to their beautiful feathers and ability to speak, ring necked parakeets have been popular as pets since the Ancient Greeks and Romans. This popularity has led to them being released into the wild in a number of countries outside their native range. In many parts of the UK for example, they are now relatively common. No one is quite sure how they first arrived here, rumour has it they were released by Jimi Hendrix in the Summer of Love or Katherine Hepburn when filming The African Queen!
Location: these highly intelligent birds have successfully adapted to living alongside humans and have colonised a number of cities around the world. While they are tropical and native to Africa and South Asia, they have spread widely and are capable of surviving cold European winters, especially in parks, gardens, and orchards where food is reliable.
Where to see Ring necked parakeets
According to reports submitted to WildSide, the top ten places you can see ring necked parakeets are:
| Place | Chance to see | User rating | No. reports |
| #1 Peckham Rye England |
94% very high |
3.1 good |
33 reports |
| #2 One Tree Hill England |
84% very high |
3.3 good |
107 reports |
| #3 South Norwood Lake England |
75% high |
3.0 good |
4 reports |
| #4 Knole Park England |
67% high |
4.0 very good |
9 reports |
| #5 Brookmill Park England |
67% high |
3.7 good |
6 reports |
| #6 Sefton Park England |
67% high |
3.7 good |
3 reports |
| #7 Richmond Park England |
44% average |
4.3 very good |
9 reports |
| #8 Sevenoaks England |
42% average |
3.3 good |
33 reports |
| #9 Sydenham Hill Wood England |
38% low |
3.2 good |
13 reports |
| #10 London Wetland Centre England |
33% low |
4.3 very good |
3 reports |
Photo credit: moghulm under a Creative Commons licence from Pixabay