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Indian ringneck parrot (Psittacula krameri)

This introduced parakeet is considered a pest species in Western Australia. It can damage agricultural crops and compete with native birds for nesting cavities where populations become abundant.

Key facts

Type: Pest animal, bird.

Native to: Africa and Asia.

Established in: QLD, NSW, ACT, VIC, SA, WA, NT.

Other names: rose-ringed parakeet, ring-necked parakeet, Indian ring-necked parakeet.

Best time to act: Check feeding areas and communal roosts, where birds gather at night, and act as soon as a new group is detected.

Identification

  • A medium-sized parakeet, about 40 cm long, with a long tail and mostly pale green plumage.
  • The upper bill is red with a black tip, and the lower bill is dark.
  • Adult males have a black marking across the chin and lower cheek and a rose-pink collar around the hindneck.
  • Females lack the black cheek and neck markings and pink collar, and have shorter central tail feathers.
  • Young birds resemble females; males develop the pink collar in their third year.
  • Look-alike: The Alexandrine parakeet can look similar, but is much larger and has a dark purple-red patch on the wing shoulder.
  • Look-alike: The rose-ringed parakeet lacks the Alexandrine parakeet’s maroon shoulder patch and broad black stripe across the lower cheek.

Where it lives

It uses a range of habitats, including woodland, mangroves, savanna, farmland with scattered trees, and urban parks and gardens.

Why it matters

  • In its native Asian range, it is regarded as a serious agricultural pest and feeds on crops including grain, fruit, nuts and sunflower.
  • In introduced areas, it competes for nesting cavities with native nuthatches in Belgium; research in the UK found no significant impact on cavity-nesting birds overall, though competition may occur at some sites where cavities are limited.
  • A serious claim of crop damage in an introduced range concerns a UK vineyard, where parakeets were reported to reduce annual wine production.
  • The species is considered a pest in Western Australia.

How it spreads

  • Feral populations commonly arise when pet birds escape during transport or from aviaries, or are deliberately released; birds may also spread from established populations.
  • Parakeets may fly up to 15 km daily between roosting and feeding sites.
  • They gather at communal roosts at night, and established populations can expand their range.

Control methods

  • Act quickly when a new group is detected: arrange capture to prevent establishment, and report the sighting to the relevant state or territory biosecurity agency.
  • Use suitable, approved capture methods and appropriately qualified operators; eradication is more feasible when populations are small and is difficult when they are large and widespread.
  • Capture at roost sites may be considered, but avoid disturbing birds in ways that could disperse them among multiple smaller roosts.
  • Reduce accessible food provided by people where practicable, and plan follow-up checks to confirm whether birds remain.

Site hygiene and welfare

  • Keep captive birds securely contained and never release unwanted birds; clean transport cages and equipment before reuse.
  • Avoid carrying spilled seed or feed between sites, and secure feed during transport and storage.
  • Use methods set out in the national model codes of practice and standard operating procedures for the species.
  • Coordinate control with neighbours and the local government biosecurity plan, as isolated effort is quickly undone by reinvasion.

Classification by state

  • Australia (national): No national listing. Managed under state and territory law.
  • Queensland: Not prohibited or restricted. Not listed as prohibited or restricted matter in Queensland. Everyone must also take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise its risks (the general biosecurity obligation).
  • New South Wales: General biosecurity duty. Not prohibited matter in NSW. The general biosecurity duty applies: anyone dealing with it must prevent, eliminate or minimise the risk it poses.
  • Victoria: Regulated pest animal. It is a regulated pest animal in Victoria. Keeping it is allowed, but releasing it into the wild is prohibited.
  • South Australia: Declared animal. Declared animals have legal restrictions, which can cover keeping, moving, selling and releasing them, and landowners may be required to control them.
  • Western Australia: Declared pest (C1), prohibited. C1 Exclusion: to be kept out of WA, or out of the parts of WA where it is not established. Report any sighting to DPIRD. It must not be brought into WA (prohibited organism).
  • Tasmania: Not a declared pest. Not a declared pest or prohibited matter in Tasmania. Importing animals is still controlled by Biosecurity Tasmania.
  • Northern Territory: Not a declared pest. Not on an NT declared or prohibited list. Check with the NT Government before keeping, moving or releasing it.
  • Australian Capital Territory: Not declared. Not declared under the Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT). A general biosecurity duty still applies.

Legal obligations

Every state and territory places a duty on landholders and people working on land to prevent the spread of invasive species, such as the general biosecurity obligation in Queensland and the general biosecurity duty in New South Wales. Declarations and control requirements differ between states and local government areas, so check the current official list before work starts.

  • Queensland: Biosecurity Act 2014 (Qld), administered by Biosecurity Queensland (13 25 23)
  • New South Wales: Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW), administered by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
  • Australian Capital Territory: Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT), administered by ACT Biosecurity
  • Victoria: Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic), administered by Agriculture Victoria
  • South Australia: Landscape South Australia Act 2019 (SA), administered by the regional landscape board
  • Western Australia: Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 (WA), administered by the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
  • Northern Territory: Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1976 (NT), administered by NT Department of Lands, Planning and Environment

Sources