Alexandrine Parrot

The Alexandrine Parrot is native to a broad swathe of South and Southeast Asia, ranging from Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka eastward to Cambodia and Vietnam. They inhabit a wide variety of environments — tropical and subtropical forests, mangroves, palm plantations, open woodland and agricultural land — showing considerable adaptability. They are gregarious and noisy in the wild, roosting communally and nesting in tree hollows, and have established feral populations in parts of Europe, the Middle East and elsewhere through escaped and released captive birds.

The species is named after Alexander the Great, who legend states introduced the birds to Europe and the Mediterranean following his Indian campaigns around 326 BCE — making the Alexandrine potentially one of the oldest documented pet parrots in human history. They are the largest of the Psittacula parakeet genus and share the distinctive long tail feathers that characterise the group. In Australia they are kept as exotic birds; a permit may be required in some states.

Alexandrines require a tall cage to accommodate their long tail feathers — insufficient height forces the tail to drag on the cage floor, causing damage and discomfort. Minimum cage dimensions are 100cm W × 75cm D × 150cm H; larger is always better. Bar spacing of 2.5–3 cm is appropriate. Powder-coated or stainless steel construction is recommended — galvanised cages can cause zinc toxicity.

Provide multiple sturdy perches of varying diameters — Alexandrines are enthusiastic chewers and natural timber perches are preferable as they encourage natural beak conditioning. Position perches so the tail hangs freely without touching the cage bars or floor. A play top or gym area above the cage provides essential out-of-cage territory.

Cage placement should be in a main living area where the bird can see household activity and feel part of the family, but away from kitchen fumes, direct sun, cold draughts and air conditioning vents. Cover partially at night. Provide a minimum of six toys in rotation, including chew toys, puzzle feeders, foraging toys and foot toys. Alexandrines are powerful chewers and toys must be appropriately robust — softwood chew blocks, natural dried branches and commercially made wooden toys are all suitable.

Alexandrines should be fed a quality large parrot pellet (such as a South American or tropical parrot formulation) as the primary dietary component, constituting approximately 60–70% of the diet. Supplement daily with a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables — suitable options include apple, pear, mango, fig, banana, capsicum, carrot, broccoli, corn, peas, sweet potato and leafy greens. Fresh food should be removed after two to three hours to prevent bacterial contamination.

Never feed avocado, chocolate, onion, garlic, fruit pips or seeds, caffeine, alcohol or processed and salted human food. A small amount of quality parrot seed mix can be offered as a supplement but should not replace the pellet base. Nuts — almonds, walnuts and macadamias — make excellent training rewards in small quantities. Cuttlebone should be available at all times for calcium and beak conditioning. Vitamin supplements such as a quality bird vitamin supplement can be added to drinking water two to three times per week. Fresh water must be changed daily.

Hand-raised Alexandrines generally develop strong bonds with their owners and can be affectionate, but rarely demand constant physical contact. They are highly capable mimics and often develop clear, contextually appropriate speech. They can be territorial around their cage and possessive of preferred perches.

Step-up training can be commenced using positive reinforcement and consistency, after they have been given a few days to acclimatise to their new setting. Alexandrines respond well to patient, calm training but poorly to force or intimidation. Allow the bird to come to you — never chase or corner. Short, frequent training sessions of five to ten minutes are more effective than long, infrequent ones.

During the bluffing phase, maintain consistent daily handling even if the bird is nippy — retreat from the interaction rather than retaliating, and return calmly. Most Alexandrines pass through this phase and return to being manageable and sociable. Out-of-cage time of one to two hours daily is important for physical and mental wellbeing. Never clip wings without veterinary guidance and informed consideration of the individual bird's needs.

Alexandrines are active, intelligent birds that need daily physical and mental engagement. Provide a varied selection of toys in rotation — chew toys, puzzle feeders, foraging toys, swings and bells — and replace or rotate weekly to maintain novelty. Foraging enrichment is highly effective: wrap food items in paper, hide treats in foraging boxes, or thread food onto skewers to encourage problem-solving behaviour.

Trick training using positive reinforcement is one of the most effective forms of enrichment and strengthens the human-bird relationship significantly. Teach step-up, wave, turn around, and target training as foundational behaviours. Provide regular supervised out-of-cage time with access to a separate play gym and safe household environment. Chewing is a fundamental behavioural need — always have fresh softwood chews, dried natural branches and appropriately sized commercial chew toys available.

Psittacosis (Chlamydiosis): A bacterial lung infection transmissible to humans, often carried without obvious symptoms. Annual vet checks, good hygiene and quarantine of new birds are key preventative measures.

Polyomavirus: A viral disease particularly affecting young birds and causing serious illness or sudden death — source birds from reputable, tested breeders.

Respiratory infections: Often linked to vitamin A deficiency; a pellet-based diet significantly reduces risk.

Feather Destructive Behaviour: Less common in Alexandrines than in highly strung species, but can develop with prolonged boredom or insufficient social interaction.

Proventricular Dilatation Disease (PDD): A neurological and digestive viral disease affecting psittacines — no cure; source from healthy, reputable stock.

Obesity: Common when diet is seed-heavy; ensure pellets form the dietary base and limit fatty seeds and nuts.

Bacterial infections can occur when hygiene is inadequate or the bird is immunocompromised.