The Alexandrine Parrot / Alexandrine Parakeet

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Alexandrines are intelligent and playful friends

alexandrine parrot

Alexandrine Parakeet

The Alexandrine Parrot is a very popular pet bird that was named after Alexander the Great.

They are known as the “gentle birds with large beaks.” Not only are they beautiful, they were also considered prized possessions for royalty in Europe. They are playful, energetic, independent, and can also become very good mimics.

Alexandrine parrots are not as cuddly as a Cockatoo, but they are very intelligent and interactive. They do need to be well socialized or they may become aggressive and one-person birds. And even though they are more independent than some other species of birds, they do require a lot of time and interaction. Like many parrots, Alexandrines are prone to feather plucking and aggression if not given the proper amount of attention.

Alexandrines also love to chew and play in water. Their favorite chew toy is wood and they love to take baths. So, you may need to plan on replacing toys often and making sure your Alexandrine doesn’t chew your furniture.

Alexandrines aren’t best for absolute beginners, but they do make great pets for experienced and not-so-experienced bird owners alike. If you are looking for a bird that is a step up from a small Parakeet or Cockatiel, but not as loud or big as an Amazon or African Grey, then this might be the right bird for you. Just remember that as with any parrot, Alexandrines do require a lot of time and commitment.

Fast Facts

Name Alexandrine Parrot (Psittacula eupatria), Alexandrine Parakeet
Origin India
Size 23 in., 230 grams
Color Differences The Alexandrine Parrot is often confused with other types of Ringnecks. The main differences are that Alexandrines are mostly green, have larger beaks, have maroon patches on their wings, red beaks with yellow tips, and the adult males and females are different in that males have pitch black rings on their necks with pink bands on their napes, while the female’s rings are more grey. There are some mutations rarely available such as the lutino, blue, and white Alexandrines.
Average Cost $200-600
Lifespan 30 years
Noise Moderate – They can be loud, like any parrot, but are quieter than some of the other Ringneck species.
Living Arrangements Alexandrines may be quiet enough to live in an apartment with you, but they are probably better kept in a house.
Qualities Gentle, independent, not very cuddly, lovable, intelligent, playful, energetic, very interactive, love to chew, love to take baths and play in water, can become aggressive, can become one person birds if not well socialized.
Abilities Great – They can be very good mimics.
Interaction/Time Requirements Alexandrines are quite independent, but they do need to be let out of their cage at least once a day for play time and socialization. They should be socialized with multiple people on a regular basis or they can become a one-person bird.
Diet They need a diet for medium birds.
Supplies Needed They need supplies for medium birds.
See How Alexandrine Parrots Compare to Other Types of Pet Birds!

Alexandrine Videos

“Bird Talk at Breakfast”


This is one of our favorite Alexandrine videos – it truly showcases the adorable talking ability of these wonderful birds.

“Talking Alexandrine Parrakeets”


This is a great video of a male and female Alexandrine talking and sharing food. The female does a great impression of a telephone ringing.

“Alexandrine Parrot performing tricks”


This video shows that Alexandrines are very capable of learning a variety of tricks.

“Alexandrine Parakeet purring”


Even though Alexandrines aren’t too fond of cuddling, this video shows that they can still be very affectionate.

Alexandrine Training

Alexandrines, like most medium-sized parrots, can become aggressive. You definitely need to know how to train your Alexandrine if you want him to be hand tamed and enjoy spending time with you and your friends/family. However, if you don’t know how to train an Alexandrine, you may find it difficult to socialize your bird with other people.

For this reason, we highly recommend that you find an effective training program for your Alexandrine. Whether your parrot is new to your home or you’ve had him for years, a training program will always come in handy. We personally recommend the Bird Tricks Parrot Training Course by Dave and Jamieleigh Womach. You can see many of their videos for free to get an idea of how much they know about parrots and how they can help you train yours.

Below is one of Dave’s videos about stopping your parrot’s biting. This is a great video to watch if you own an Alexandrine. This video is a great example of how effective the training courses can be and how they are filled with a wealth of useful information for any bird owner.

This video is only the first step in getting your Alexandrine hand tamed. We highly recommend checking out the BirdTricks Training Course for taming your parrot even further.

For more information about Dave and Jamieleigh’s training courses, you can visit the Bird Tricks website HERE.

Parakeet Education

To learn more about your pet Parakeet, we recommend these books:

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Parakeet Gifts

Have a friend of family member who loves Parakeets? Gift them something that will truly spark joy!

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Have A Great Story About Your Alexandrine?

Share your experience with others! There’s no better way to learn about a pet bird than from an owner.

Some helpful information for potential owners can be: What is the species of your bird? Is he/she friendly? Loving? Cuddly? Talented? Messy? Loud? You get the idea!

Your comment may just help someone decide whether or not this pet bird is for them.

13 replies
  1. Jackie Strizziere
    Jackie Strizziere says:

    So sorry to hear of your loss, lost my alexandrite parakeet after rescued her when she was 11 and had her exactally 12 years and 1 Mt, my heart is broken, she did everything with me. I am desperate to find another that needs to be rescued, people get these birds without realizing how much time you need to spend with them. You truly need to be an honest to God all around animal person, my animals mean everything to me, please anyone looking for a gooday home for your alexandrite parakeet call and leave message with Rebecca at diane’so pet outlet 610 970 7500,your parakeet will be home , happy,extremely well taken care of,most of all my heart will start to heal.

    Reply
  7. yasmin.
    yasmin. says:

    My indian ringneck parrot sadly died after 20 years and we bought another one from a breeder who said it was a baby but did not appear until we got him home. This parrot keeps growling when we touch him or talk to him although he happily comes on your hand and walks up to the shoulder. He does not make any other sounds either and will not take food from you. He is not caged in as the whole of the porch is his and he has a large cage.

    We are not sure what to do as we do not want him to be unhappy and have fallen in love with him. Please help as we are at a loss completely.

    Desperately looking for advice.

    Reply
    • All Pet Birds
      All Pet Birds says:

      I’m so sorry to hear about your loss. If your new bird is a baby, growling is very common with baby birds. You can probably find videos of baby parrots on Youtube and compare the growling noises to what you are hearing. The most important thing is that your baby is fully weaned (eating on his own). If he happily comes onto your hand and shoulder, enjoy him – it sounds like he likes you already too!

      Reply
  8. Rudolph A. Furtado (Mumbai (India))
    Rudolph A. Furtado (Mumbai (India)) says:

    Mittoo, India’s best talking Alexandrine Parakeet

    alexandrine

    MITTOO, aka “Mittoo the Poppat”, has been with us for the last 21 years purchased from Crawford market on 27/1/1992 as a baby nestling before the ban on selling of Indian parakeets by the Wild life Authorities.

    Mittoo is almost child-like in his mannerisms and behaviour and I have made recordings of his “Parakeet English”.

    Mittoo has been the subject of a topic on B.B.C Radio in 2004, a debate on Radio Telephone regarding having PENSIONS for retired circus and animal stars, a true “Bird Celebrity”. It was a 3-Way discussion conducted by a B.B.C moderator in London between Dan Westfall (U.S.A), owner/handler of retired “Tarzan of the Apes” film chimp “Cheetah”, Mr. Martin Lacey (U.K), animal trainer and owner of Great British Circus and myself Rudolph A. Furtado (Mumbai), pet owner of Mittoo, India’s best talking parakeet.

    View Mittoo’s video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMY_YQghqCQ‎

    Reply
  9. Pieter (Eastvale)
    Pieter (Eastvale) says:

    MR
    alexandrine
    Very compatible with other birds ass well
    I had an Alexandrine Parakeet for 1 year he recently passed away was very sad and painful for me. He was frightened and flew into the cage and broke his neck :(, but he was very lovable bird and very playful and enjoyed baths and loved his fruit although he was not very touchie kind but he was the best bird ever and very kind. I’m sorry I know I’m wiring like a death note but it’s like the only way to rest my mind in thoughts and prayers of him but I would recommend this bird to anyone that love birds.

    Reply
    • ajay
      ajay says:

      sorry to hear about your bird death – mine flew away. i have a question:did you get another parakeet?let me know please, as i am thinking of getting another one as my previous one flew away.. heart broken 🙁

      Reply
    • Stelios
      Stelios says:

      Mine also died on seven years of age… we got him 1 week old and raised him hand fed. Cocos. Very kind, playfull, happy… We just woke up a morning 2 weeks ago and found him lying in his cage… I’m 14… it was heart breaking… We don’t even know why…
      We got a beautiful Senegal on Wednesday.
      Perry (by Matthew Perry)

      Reply

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