By Shivani Thakur
Parrots or Parrakeets have been extremely popular throughout history appealing to every one with their colours, interesting behaviour and also with their individual personalities. As free birds they are very discreet. Their shrill sounds
might perpiate our ears yet they cannot be easily located. Most of us have encountered them as pet birds at some point of our lives. Their domestication can be seen in various Egyptian paintings and hieroglyphics. The Greeks were the ones who discovered their
charm and devotion. The armies of Alexander the Great have known to have brought back ring-necked parakeets from India on their return to Europe . In India , the parakeets might not be as vibrant colored as their South American counterparts but they are as
lovable as them.
In India in the wild they usually live in large groups often pairing for life. This pairing makes them the most monogamous of all
the birds. In the evening large groups can be seen converging on higher branches of the trees making so much ruckus enough to wake up an entire neighbourhood. Although there are many varieties of parakeets found in India, the most common
ones are the Ringneck Parrakeet, the AlexandrineParrakeet and the Banded-pink breasted or mustache Parrakeet.Of these the Ringneck Parrakeet is found widely across whole of India with others distributed in different parts of the country. The Alexandrine Parrakeet
is as royal as its name. It is the largest Parrakeet found in India mostly in north and central parts. These birds are quiet intelligent and their ability to speak is the main reason for their trade.
The thriving trade of parrots and parakeets is their ability to mimic our speech and their colorful plumage. In fact a study conducted on African Gray parrots in the US accepted the fact that their brains are at par with that of a four
year old. Thus granting them the status of most intelligent of all the species of birds. But this boon has turned into a bane for them. They are caught and sold of as they make ideal cage birds. For one bird making into one household at least six die in the
process. The young birds are caught from their nest even when they have not acquired their feathers. In our country where lot of attention is paid to bigger species of animals like tigers and elephants, the state of parakeets is not so good. The illegal trade
is done in small hamlets where everyday birds are sold and bought with no enforcement of law. In spite of raids conducted and arrests made the trade continues.
To stop this trade, we can refrain from buying these birds. If the demand for them falls the supply will automatically stop. The other reason for their dwindling numbers is deforestation. Most of the trees are being cut to make way for
agriculture. Very few trees are being planted and that too the ones which can make money. More fruit bearing trees are needed, as parakeets main diet is fruits. A very good example is Jagdish Mohanbhai Patel from Gondal town of Gujarat . His 25 bigha orchard
is an exclusive preserve for birds. The field has trees of mango, pomegranate, orange, guava, chickoo meant only for winged species. His observation of depleting forest cover and deforestation got him going in planning this orchard. An industrialist by profession,
its easier for him to spend Rs50, 000 a month on maintenance yet his dedication and commitment is commendable. His efforts have made forest department to conduct a full-fledged survey of birds and their environment. Though for him it is just another attempt
at restoring the balance of nature. So we all can join hands by not encouraging this trade and planting fruit bearing trees in our back yards to keep their sound alive.