A parakeet is Anybody of numerous modest to medium-sized species of parrot, in several genera, that commonly have prolonged tail feathers. Older spellings however sometimes encountered are paroquet or paraquet. In American English, the term parakeet typically refers back to the budgerigar. The budgerigar is often a species of parakeet.

The title parakeet is derived with the French word perroquet. It really is nonetheless a pseudo-francism as perroquet indicates parrot in French, when the French for parakeet is perruche.

Parakeets comprise about one hundred fifteen species of birds which have been seed-having parrots of compact dimensions, slender Construct, and lengthy, tapering tails.[one] The Australian budgerigar, also known as "budgie", Melopsittacus undulatus, is most likely the commonest parakeet. It had been first described by zoologists in 1891. It is the preferred species of parakeet stored as a pet in North The us and Europe.

A rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri).

The phrase "grass parakeet" (or grasskeet) refers to quite a few tiny Australian parakeets native to grasslands such as the genus Neophema and also the princess parrot. The Australian rosellas can also be parakeets. Lots of the smaller sized, very long-tailed species of lories could be generally known as "lorikeets". The vernacular name ring-necked parakeet (never to be confused While using the Australian ringneck) refers into a species on the genus Psittacula indigenous to Africa and Asia that is definitely well-known like a pet and has become feral in lots of cities outside its pure array.

In aviculture, the expression "conure" is used for compact to medium-sized parakeets with the genera Aratinga, Pyrrhura, and a few other genera on the tribe Arini, which might be mainly endemic to South America. As they periquitos australianos don't seem to be all from just one genus, taxonomists are inclined to stay away from the expression. Other South American species usually known as parakeets include things like the genus Brotogeris parakeets, the monk parakeet, and lineolated parakeets, although lineolateds have limited tails.

A bigger species may very well be known as "parrot" or "parakeet" interchangeably. One example is, "Alexandrine parrot" and "Alexandrine parakeet" are two typical names for a similar species, Psittacula eupatria, which is amongst the greatest species normally called a parakeet.

Numerous species of parakeets are bred and sold commercially as pets, the budgerigar currently being the 3rd most popular pet in the world,[two] soon after cats and puppies. Budgerigars are wonderful companions for any age and can be quickly experienced.

Parakeets generally breed more readily in teams; even so, there is usually conflicts concerning breeding pairs and individuals particularly if space is proscribed. The presence of other parakeets encourages a pair to breed, Which explains why breeding in a bunch is better, having said that numerous breeders opt to breed in pairs in order to avoid conflicts and because this way they know needless to say which parents manufactured any presented birds. Parakeets develop about three to eight eggs on regular and they can have above four/six eggs.