BOURKES  PARAKEET
(Neophema bourkii)

DESCRIPTION: MALE: forehead and small streaks above eye blue, eye area and front of the cheeks whitish or grayish; remainder of cheeks and throat pink, the breast brownish with pink edging; abdomen pink, head back and wing coverts brownish, lower back brownish black, thighs and undertail coverts pale blue, bill blackish,  iris dark brown, feet dark brown. FEMALE: generally the same as the male but duller in color.

LENGTH  7.5 inches

DISTRIBUTION: inland  in southern and central Australia

HABITAT;  arid and semi arid regions of open scrubland

STATUS:  common in suitable areas

DIET: basic cockatiel mix, millets, seeding grass if available, millet sprays, soft-food.

BREEDING:  in the wild the breeding season is from August to December. Clutches are normally 3-6 eggs;  incubation is 18 days;  fledging around 28 days with the young been fed for another two weeks after fledging. They are easily bred, with many mutations available. The most common being the "Rosy Bourke".  Pairs will readily nest two to three times a year. The nest box size should be around  6 x 6 x 12 inches.  They have also been bred on the colony system and are also useful as fosters for other Australian Grasskeets.

                                                                                                        
Australian Species                                                                                                                           Bourkes Parakeet