The Alexandrine is the largest of the ringneck parakeets - a long-tailed green bird with a maroon wing patch and, in cocks, the black and rose collar that takes three years to come in. They are excellent talkers, they live thirty to forty years, and they go through one phase that catches out almost every first-time owner.
The bluffing phase
Somewhere between four months and a year, a hand-raised ringneck of any kind will usually turn. A bird that was cuddly becomes defensive, lunges, bites and refuses to step up, and it can last weeks or several months. It is a normal developmental stage, not a change in the bird's character, and owners who stop handling because of it end up with an adult that cannot be handled at all. Keepers who work through it - short, calm sessions, target training, no punishment, patience - get the tame bird back and keep it for decades. If nobody tells you about this in advance, you will think your bird is ruined.
Talking
Very good. A clear voice, a large vocabulary in a bird that is talked to, and the ability to say things in the right context. Among the better talkers available and considerably less demanding to keep than an Amazon or a Grey.
Noise
A loud, ringing screech used in bursts rather than continuously. Not a flat bird and not usually a complaint-level problem in a house.
They want length, not height
An Alexandrine has a very long tail and a standard tall parrot cage will ruin it - a bird that cannot turn without hitting the bars ends up with broken tail feathers permanently. Buy for length and width.
Less needy than most big talkers
Ringnecks are comfortable observing rather than being handled constantly, which makes them workable for somebody who is out at work. They are not cuddly birds as adults, even tame ones, and anybody wanting a parrot that sits against them will be happier elsewhere.
Living with one
Thirty to forty years. A long cage, a pelleted base with fresh vegetables, chew material, and consistent daily interaction.
Buying one
Ask whether the bird has been through the bluffing phase yet and what the breeder does about it. Ask when it weaned and about disease testing. The breeders listed on this page raise Alexandrine Parakeets and can be contacted directly through the site.