Plum-headed Parakeet

Parrot · 0 live listings

Plum-headed parakeets are slender, long-tailed parrots from India and Sri Lanka, where males develop a plum-red head at about two years. They are quieter than ringnecks and gentle, but often prefer a hands-off relationship to cuddling.

At a glance

Origin
India and Sri Lanka
Adult size
About 13 in with tail, 65–80 g
Lifespan
15–20+ years
Housing
Long flight cage or aviary
Diet
Pellets, fruit, vegetables, some seed
Best fit
Keepers who enjoy watching birds
Species
Parrot
Category
Birds
Papers
5 categories
NoiseSoft, musical calls
Social needsSocial but not cuddly
MessScatters food
Beginner fitEasy care, less tame

Scales follow breed-club and veterinary consensus; individual animals vary. Listings show what each seller has on file.

The tradeoffs, honestly

Plum-heads need room to fly, so a long cage or aviary is better than a tall one. They can be shy or nippy without daily handling and often do not talk much.

Common questions

How do I tell male from female?

Adult males have a plum-red head and females a grey-blue head. Young birds look alike, so DNA sexing is the only reliable way before about two years.

What health checks should a plum-head come with?

Ask for an avian vet exam and tests for psittacosis, PBFD and avian polyomavirus. Look for a clean vent, smooth feathers and a bird that is fully weaned.

Are plum-heads good pets?

For keepers who enjoy a bird more than a lap companion, yes. They are gentle and relatively quiet, but many are shy with handling.

Market, past 90 daysFull index →
Not enough sales yet for a median
Typical rangeNot enough sales yet for a rangeLive listings0
Health tests to ask for
Psittacosis / PBFD / polyoma negativeDNA sexedAvian vet exam on fileHatch certificate on fileBand registration on filePDD / bornavirus negativeBaseline bloodwork on file

Ask the seller for these. Documents on Everybarn are on file for your own checks; we don't check them with the issuer.

No Plum-headed Parakeet listed right now

Save the search and we'll email you when one goes live.

Save this search

Sellers near you

Add your location to see drive times

No sellers have a Plum-headed Parakeet listed right now.

Keep reading

First-time buyer · 8 minCommon pet scams, and the 60-second checks that beat themRead →First-time buyer · 5 minHow to read a health certificate like a vetRead →The marketplacePlum-headed Parakeet listings on EverybarnBrowse →
Plum-headed Parakeet · Everybarn