What Are the Characteristics of a Wild Parakeet?

A parakeet is a type of bird that is part of the parrot family. There are numerous species that live all over the world, mostly in tropical and sub-tropical environments. In the wild, parakeets can be found in large flocks and tend to be very social which each other. A wild parakeet is generally recognized by its bright colors, size, and behaviors.

There are 120 types of wild parakeets that live across the globe in the warm or mild climates of Australia, Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. Parakeets range in size from 7 to 18 inches (18 to 45 centimeters) in length. A wild parakeet may come in a variety of bright colors such as green, yellow, red, orange or blue. In their native habitat, the majority of parakeets are a mixture of green, black, and yellow. The lifespan of many of the wild species is unknown, but it is thought to be less than the lifespan of a parakeet in captivity, which is around ten years.

Parakeets are social birds that live in large flocks. They interact with each other and group vocalization is common. In the morning, members of the flock often make noise to wake up other members, to alert the flock of danger, or to indicate that it is time to leave their current location. At dusk, a wild parakeet usually calls to its flock mates to announce that area is free of predators and it is safe to go to sleep.

When a parakeet is ready to reproduce, a complex set of behaviors is displayed. In order to impress a potential mate, a parakeet will often begin quickly running along the length of branches while wildly vocalizing. Regurgitation of food into another bird's mouth is also a sign of the desire to mate.

Another aspect of the birds' social behavior display is grooming. A wild parakeet often grooms itself and parakeets within a flock that are bonded usually spend time preening each other. In addition to being a sign of affection, this is also a way for the birds to have feathers removed from areas that they can't reach themselves. Parakeets like to be clean and bathe regularly by hopping through wet grass or foliage.

A wild parakeet has a varied diet. They tend to each items such as nuts, seeds, insects, and flowers. The birds usually eat twice each day, once in the morning and again in the evening.