Bird Watching or Twitching in Andalucia Southern Spain

December 2005, Ring Necked Paraqueet , Psittacula krameri

ring neck paraqueet

The Ring-necked Parakeet is possibly the noisiest, most argumentative, bad tempered bird in the region. There are breeding colonies at Sotogrande and Marina de Casares although the bird is seen elsewhere. It is mainly green with a long tail, a red bill and a pink and black collar. Many years ago this bird was only native to South Asia and Central Africa but has extended its range over the last twenty years or so to include the Costa del Sol. It nests and roosts in the date palm trees and will be seen in a flight of four to six, zipping between them. There are two other parrots in the region, both as a result of escapes from aviaries, the Monk Parakeet, with a grey forehead, face and breast, reputed to be even noisier than the Ring-necked, and the Nanday with its black forehead, crown, throat and bill and blue tail feathers.