To create realistic images, it is necessary to determine both the properties of the object itself and the properties of the environment in which it is located. The first group of properties includes parameters of the material from which the object is made, methods of applying texture to its surface, and the degree of transparency of the object. The second group includes the number and properties of light sources, the level of transparency of the environment. All of these properties can be set using the appropriate OpenGL commands.

To set the parameters of the current material, use the commands

void glMaterial(GLenum face, GLenum pname, GLtype param)

void glMaterialv(GLenum face, GLenum pname, GLtype *params)

With their help, you can determine the scattered, diffuse and specular colors of the material, as well as the color, the degree of specular reflection and the intensity of light emission if the object should glow. Which parameter will be determined by the value of param depends on the value of pname:

GL_AMBIENT The params parameter must contain four integer or real RGBA color values ​​that define the diffuse color of the material (the color of the material in the shadow).

Default value: (0.2, 0.2, 0.2, 1.0).

GL_DIFFUSE The params parameter must contain four integer or real RGBA color values ​​that specify the diffuse reflection color of the material.

Default value:(0.8, 0.8, 0.8, 1.0).

GL_SPECULAR The params parameter must contain four integer or real RGBA color values ​​that specify the material's specular color.

GL_SHININESS The params parameter must contain a single integer or real value in the range from 0 to 128, which determines the degree of specular reflection of the material.

Default value: 0.

GL_EMISSION The params parameter must contain four integer or real RGBA color values ​​that define the intensity of the material's emitted light.

Default value: (0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0).

GL_AMBIENT_AND_DIFFUSE is equivalent to two calls to the glMaterial...() command with pname GL_AMBIENT and GL_DIFFUSE and the same params values.

It follows that the glMaterial() command can only be called to set the degree of specular reflection of the material. Most models take into account diffuse and specular reflected light; the first determines the natural color of the object, and the second determines the size and shape of the highlights on its surface.

The face parameter determines the type of faces for which this material is specified and can take the values ​​GL_FRONT, GL_BACK or GL_FRONT_AND_BACK.

If the object materials in the scene differ in only one parameter, it is recommended to first set the desired mode by calling glEnable() with the GL_COLOR_MATERIAL parameter, and then use the command

void glColorMaterial(GLenum face, GLenum pname)

where the face parameter has a similar meaning, and the pname parameter can take all of the listed values. The value of the pname-selected material property for a particular object (or vertex) is then set by calling glColor...(), avoiding calls to the more resource-intensive glMaterial...() command and increasing program efficiency.

You can add a light source to the scene using the commands

void glLight(GLenum light, GLenum pname, GLfloat param)

void glLight(GLenum light, GLenum pname, GLfloat *params)

The light parameter uniquely identifies the source and is selected from a set of special symbolic names like GL_LIGHTi, where i must be in the range from 0 to GL_MAX_LIGHT, which does not exceed eight.

The remaining two parameters have the same meaning as in the glMaterial...() command. Let's look at their purpose (first the parameters for the first command are described, then for the second):

GL_SPOT_EXPONENT the param parameter must contain an integer or real number from 0 to 128 that specifies the light intensity distribution. This parameter describes the level of focus of the light source.

Default value: 0 (diffused light).

GL_SPOT_CUTOFF param must contain an integer or real number between 0 and 90 or equal to 180, which defines the maximum light spread angle. The value of this parameter is half the angle at the vertex of the cone-shaped light flux created by the source.

Default value: 180 (diffused light).

GL_AMBIENT The params parameter must contain four integer or real RGBA color values ​​that specify the color of the background lighting.

Default value: (0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0).

GL_DIFFUSE The params parameter must contain four integer or real RGBA color values ​​that specify the color of the diffuse lighting.

GL_SPECULAR The params parameter must contain four integer or real RGBA color values ​​that specify the color of the specular reflection.

Default value: (1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0) for LIGHT0 and (0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0) for others.

GL_POSITION the params parameter must contain four integers or reals that define the position of the light source. If the value of the w component is 0.0, then the source is considered to be infinitely distant and when calculating illumination, only the direction to the point (x,y,z) is taken into account, otherwise the source is considered to be located at the point (x,y,z,w).

Default value: (0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 0.0).

GL_SPOT_DIRECTION The params parameter must contain four integers or real numbers that specify the direction of the light.

Default value: (0.0, 0.0, -1.0, 1.0).

When changing the position of the light source, the following facts should be taken into account: if the position is specified with the glLight...() command before determining the gaze orientation (with the glLookAt() command), then the source will be considered to be at the observation point. If the position is set between specifying the orientation and the view matrix transformations, then it is fixed and does not depend on the view transformations. In the latter case, when the position is specified after the orientation and the view matrix, its position can be changed by setting both a new orientation of the observer and changing the view matrix.

To use lighting, you first need to set the appropriate mode by calling the glEnable (GL_LIGHTNING) command, and then enable the desired source with the glEnable(GL_LIGHTn) command.

OpenGL uses the Phong lighting model, in which the color of a point is determined by several factors: material and texture properties, the magnitude of the normal at that point, and the position of the light source and observer. To correctly calculate the illumination at a point, it is necessary to use single normals, however, commands like glScale...() can change the length of the normals. To take this into account, the already mentioned normalization mode is used, which is enabled by calling the glEnable(GL_NORMALIZE) command.

To set global lighting parameters, use the commands

void glLightModel(GLenum pname, GLenum param)

void glLightModelv(GLenum pname, const GLtype *params)

The pname argument specifies which lighting model parameter will be adjusted and can take the following values:

GL_LIGHT_MODEL_LOCAL_VIEWER param must be a boolean and specifies the position of the observer. If it is FALSE, then the viewing direction is considered parallel to the -z axis, regardless of the position in view coordinates. If it is TRUE, then the observer is at the origin of the view coordinate system. This can improve the quality of lighting, but makes it more difficult to calculate.

Default value: FALSE.

GL_LIGHT_MODEL_TWO_SIDE The param parameter must be a boolean and controls the illumination calculation mode for both front and back faces. If it is FALSE, then the illumination is calculated only for the front faces. If it is TRUE, the calculation is carried out for the reverse faces as well. Default value: FALSE.

GL_LIGHT_MODEL_AMBIENT The params parameter must contain four integers or real numbers that specify the color of the background lighting even in the absence of certain light sources.

Default value:(0.2, 0.2, 0.2,1.0).

- one of the most popular species, they are unpretentious, have a colorful appearance, and delight the ear with their cheerful chirping. Sooner or later, many owners begin to worry about the issue of breeding their pets. We would like to immediately note that breeding is a responsible and sufficient difficult process, so it’s worth weighing the pros and cons in advance.

The main mistake of amateur breeders is that they buy a couple of birds and decide that this is enough. In fact, budgies- are gregarious creatures, so if you keep several pairs in an enclosure, you will get offspring much faster. Divorcing one couple is possible, but it will take time and patience. The conditions in which parrots are kept also matter: in an enclosure they feel more comfortable and freer, and therefore reproduce more willingly, but from budgerigars, which are kept in cramped cages, offspring can be expected for years.

How to choose a pair?

Birds must like each other, because if a couple only tolerates each other, then they may not have offspring. Mutual affection is immediately visible: the birds always sit next to each other, sort through their partner’s feathers, arrange a nest - these are the pets you need to choose. Under natural conditions, parrots can reproduce at 5-7 months, but at home they can be bred no earlier than 1-1.5 years, otherwise the female may die when laying eggs. With good care, parrots can reproduce up to 8-9 years.

The sex of parrots can be determined by the wax - the skin located near the base of the beak: in males it is colored bright blue, and in females it is white or brown. It is worth remembering that the cere of young animals is not yet pigmented, the sex is determined no earlier than 3-4 months, otherwise even experienced breeders can make mistakes.

When buying parrots, be sure to make sure that the pair is not related. If you cross closely related birds, the offspring may turn out to be non-viable, with congenital defects, which is why it is better to buy birds from professional breeders, and not in ordinary pet stores, where sellers have virtually no knowledge of their origin. However, you can purchase individuals in different stores.

If you want to add a new friend to your existing parrot, you need to follow simple rules. It is advisable to keep the new pet separately for at least 3-4 weeks, in quarantine; cages can be placed nearby so that the birds remotely get used to their neighbor. Then try to unite the couple and observe their behavior: if it doesn’t come to fights and quarrels, everything is fine. In addition, the male must be approximately the same age or older than the female: females can often show aggression and fight with males.

If the couple has taken place, it will be very strong, the parrots will take care of each other and have a hard time experiencing separation. The suitable period for breeding budgies is summer and autumn, the male and female must be healthy, well-fed, active - then the offspring will be strong.

Preparatory activities

In order for parrots to begin to reproduce, they need a long daylight hours - its duration should be at least 16 hours. Summer and autumn are preferable because during this period fortified foods are available - greens, fruits, vegetables, so the amount of artificial minerals or multivitamins can be reduced.

In an enclosure or room, the air temperature should be 20-30 degrees - this is the optimal mode for hatching eggs. A nest box is placed for the couple, which looks like a birdhouse - this is due to the fact that in nature, females lay eggs in a hollow tree. Sometimes it happens that females lay eggs on the bottom of the cage or the floor of the enclosure - this phenomenon must be stopped, otherwise other parrots may destroy the eggs.

The house is made of wood, it can be vertical or horizontal. A depression is made at the bottom of the nesting box (depth - 2 cm, diameter - 10-12 cm) - the female will lay eggs in it, and they will not roll out. Also include a removable lid to make cleaning inside easier.

2 weeks before hanging the house, the parrots’ diet needs to be changed: give more egg mixture with semolina and carrots, greens, fruits and vegetables, there should be a container in the cage with chalk and crushed eggshells.

The nest box is attached to the outer wall of the cage, because if you just put it on the bottom or hang it near the door, the female will not go into it, considering it unsafe. The cage itself should be rectangular and long. Dry sawdust is poured onto the bottom of the nesting box; you can mix it with chamomile flowers. If the female likes the conditions, she will immediately begin to show her interest. First, it will spin around the entrance, then it will prepare a place for laying. Within a month, the female lays eggs. If the parrots do not show interest, the nest is temporarily removed and hung up after a few weeks.

Laying eggs

Once again we would like to note: wavy birds are flocking birds, so reproduction of several pairs at once occurs much faster: for this you need a spacious aviary and houses, the number of which is 1-2 more than the number of pairs, otherwise they will begin to quarrel and fight for the nesting site. It is best to give the couple peace during this period - place the cage in a secluded corner of the room so that nothing distracts the birds. It’s also not worth letting them fly around the apartment yet. After the female has prepared the nesting site, the mating process begins and continues until all the eggs are fertilized.

A few days before laying, the female begins to pluck the feathers around the cloaca; she increasingly spends time in the house and does not make sudden movements. After the first egg appears, fertilizing is removed from the female’s diet - only chalk and main food remain, otherwise the clutch will be large, but its quality will decrease significantly. The eggs are incubated by the female, and the male feeds her, entertains her with songs, and guards her. A clutch can contain from 4 to 12 eggs. If the female is young, then the clutch will be smaller.

How to care for chicks?

The female incubates the eggs for 17-20 days, after which the chicks are born. They look more like reptiles than birds: they have a long neck, a disproportionate head and no plumage at all. Little wavy birds are born blind, only after a week do they begin to see.

The first feathers appear in 9-10 days, over the next week the offspring are covered with down - by its color you can judge the plumage of the parrot. If the fluff is white, the color will be light; if it is gray, the color will be variegated. At about three weeks of age, the chicks already resemble adult parrots.

If, 3 weeks after the chicks hatch, there are still eggs in the house, they can be safely removed from the nesting box. A week after the chicks appear, the house needs to be cleaned: catch the moment when the female leaves the nest and carefully remove it. Move the chicks into a box for a while, remove old sawdust from the house, wipe it with chamomile tincture and change the bedding. It is best to carry out this procedure with gloves so that the female does not then catch someone else’s smell and start plucking small parrots. Carefully inspect the chicks, pay special attention to the paws - you need to remove adhering droppings from them, after soaking them in water - dirt can lead to improper development of the toes.

Cleaning is carried out quickly so that the chicks do not become hypothermic and the female does not get nervous. You need to repeat the procedure at least once a week. If you notice that the mother begins to mischief and pluck the chicks, simply add fresh sawdust and postpone disinfection until a more convenient time.

The mother feeds the babies with goiter milk for the first two weeks; it is formed in the muscular ventricle of the female. Gradually she gives them adult food, which has softened significantly in the crop. During this period, it is important to give the parrots sprouted grain, which stimulates milk production.

The male joins in feeding the chicks after they fly out of the nesting house. He takes care of the offspring, and the female is already laying new eggs. The babies can leave the nesting area after 30-35 days. If the female is not aggressive, you can leave them in the parent cage, but it is best to move them into a separate cage once they have learned to feed on their own. Birds are caught using a net for large aquarium fish; experienced breeders take them with their hands.

Do not allow the female to lay many clutches at once - this depletes her body; after 1-2 clutches, the house is removed, and the female is given abundant grain food, gradually adding vitamins, fruits, vegetables, animal feed, and you can pamper her with sweet grain sticks.

The chicks acquire their final “adult” coloration at 10-12 months; up to four months they look more like ugly ducklings, but they turn into beautiful swans or, in our case, budgies.

Parrot aviaries are a great option for both owners and their birds. If you have one or a couple of feathered friends living in your house, there is no need to purchase an aviary, only if the area of ​​​​the room allows it and you do not have the opportunity to provide the bird with regular walks outside the cage.

Aviaries for budgies are very popular among owners of these cheerful and energetic birds. Birds often spend the winter in an apartment, and in the summer and warm autumn they “move” to the balcony, where they lead a healthy lifestyle and feel quite comfortable.

• thanks to flights, fresh air and sunlight (outdoor enclosures), the body becomes stronger, molting is easier and faster;
• comfortable living conditions for parrots. Birds can fly and communicate with each other not only by shouting at each other at a distance;
• convenience for the owner. Easy to maintain the enclosure and saves time; instead of several cages, you remove one, albeit a large one;
• all the birds receive your attention at the same time, and none of them feels left out;
• ease of carrying out preventive vitamin courses and other manipulations, any deviation in the behavior of any bird contrasts with other relatives and is quickly identified;
• If you have a large species of parrot, then a competent aviary will help organize a normal regime for the bird (length of daylight hours) and protect the parrot from unwanted interference at certain points in the life of its owner without psychological damage to the pet.

Disadvantages of parrot aviaries:

• enclosures “take over” a certain area of ​​a room or site;
• If one bird in the aviary gets sick, the rest of the birds are at risk. Timely isolation of a sick pet and preventive treatment for other parrots is mandatory;
• it is difficult to keep track of the “correctness” of a particular bird’s diet (there is a risk of one individual not accepting fruits and greens), although in a flock parrots quickly adopt each other’s habits;
• birds living in an aviary are difficult to tame;
• To breed parrots, each pair still needs a separate cage with a nesting house. Of course, it is quite possible to breed birds in aviaries, but in this case, it is much more difficult to provide the nesting pair with peace, adequate nutrition and control over the breeding and development of offspring.

Aviaries for parrots can be either outdoor or indoor.

Outdoor (garden) enclosures differ primarily in their size; the roof and floor in such structures are built taking into account the climatic conditions of the country and for a specific type of parrot. Also, in such enclosures there must be shelter in case of worsening weather conditions or danger from birds or rodents.

Photo of the outdoor enclosure:

Enclosures can be either temporary or permanent. Temporary enclosures are most often seasonal; birds are moved into them during the warm season, and with the onset of cold weather, the parrots move to a warmer and more protected room.

Home cages are a large cage that is located in a room or on a balcony.

Today, markets and online stores offer different variations of such structures, so buying an aviary for parrots is not at all difficult now. A much bigger problem is to fit a storehouse for birds into the interior of the room without wasting extra living space.

The price of such structures is quite high, so bird lovers most often try to make an aviary themselves, then costs are significantly reduced, and the convenience of a home-made aviary cannot be compared with a standard store offer.

If you have a person who can build an enclosure with his own hands, contact him. The main advantage of homemade aviaries is that you design a “bird house” not only based on the needs of the parrots, but also taking into account the specifics of the place where the large cage will be located, you determine the number of doors and think in advance where you can hang nesting houses, your taste preferences also agree and other inhabitants of the house.

In order to purchase a ready-made aviary for parrots, you just need to contact these online stores (links under the photo):

Outdoor aviaries for parrots

When constructing an outdoor enclosure yourself, several important points should be taken into account.

If you want to build an all-season garden aviary for parrots, then you need to approach the design much more seriously, since such an aviary must have a room with heating, lighting, and the foundation and walls of such a structure will be insulated. To understand what an all-season outdoor aviary should be like, pay attention to the principle by which poultry houses and dovecotes are built.

The rules for building a seasonal outdoor enclosure are slightly different.

To protect birds from rodents and small predators, you should build a foundation by deepening the trench by 30-40 cm or place the structure on legs at a safe distance from the ground. We fill the dug trench with large stones and rubble and fill everything with concrete to ground level, then raise the brick wall to a height of 20 cm.

When laying bricks, every 1.5 meters we install a large bolt vertically above the last brick row by 10 mm. The mesh will be attached to it using a nut or welded to a frame made of a metal corner. Holes are drilled in the bottom of the frame at the same distance as the bolts; the top of the frame and sides should also have holes for connection to adjacent structures. To facilitate assembly, the frame is made 1.5 by 2.5 m.

Outdoor aviaries are built up to 3 m wide, the length is chosen arbitrarily, as for the height, it should not exceed 2 meters, since higher aviaries complicate catching birds and caring for the cage equipment as a whole (feeders, drinking bowls, perches, tree branches, nesting houses).

When installing the floor in an enclosure, you should first stretch a fine mesh treated with anti-corrosion agents, and then you can pour concrete, fill in earth and sand, or lay boards. The metal mesh will serve as protection against small rodents that may try to enter the enclosure for grain, eggs or small birds.

Recently, owners often use linoleum to cover the floor in enclosures - this greatly simplifies the maintenance of parrots and makes it easier to care for the floor surface, helping to quickly clean it of unwanted dirt and bird excrement.

It is advisable to make the floor in the enclosures at an angle to allow water to drain - this will allow you to disinfect the surface and keep the bird’s home constantly clean.

It is advisable that the aviary have a roof or partial canopy that protects the parrots from bad weather and the scorching rays of the sun. By placing the aviary so that a tree or shrub grows in its center, you will provide the birds with natural shelter from the sun's rays and the most natural habitat possible.

When purchasing the main mesh, purchase another one with larger cells 40 x 40 or 50 x 50 mm; it will need to be stretched at a distance of 5-10 cm from the main one. The second layer is attached to a channel frame. This will help protect your birds from attacks. birds of prey and causing injury to your pets.

A double layer of different-sized mesh will be the best option for safe living of a pet on the street.

Parrots love to move not only along large tree branches provided to them, but also along the walls of the enclosure; it is this habit of birds that can lead to injury or death if the enclosure is not covered with a control net.

If you have a choice of location for a garden enclosure, then try to place it so that the front part “looks” to the south or southeast. It is this position that will allow the birds to meet the dawn and “bathe” in the sun’s rays for as long as possible.

An outdoor enclosure requires supports, which can be metal posts concreted into the ground. Metal corners are welded onto the posts, which will serve as the frame for the mesh. When stretching the mesh, if additional cuts are required, overlap the mesh up to 20 cm, well “stitching” the edges.

Carefully check the finished enclosure for holes, cracks or loose materials.

Garden enclosures are built with a vestibule; the presence of this extension is mandatory, since upon entering the enclosure it will not allow the parrot to fly out of the cage. In addition, you can store there the necessary equipment that you may need when maintaining the enclosure.

Collapsible aviaries are very popular; they are often used by owners of medium and small parrots. For medium-sized parrots, the net should be taken with a cell of 25 x 25 mm, the frame should be built from a square metal profile 15-17 mm. The dimensions of the enclosure are 200 x 150 x 70 cm. You should not forget to provide doors for replacing food and water; in this case, you can make a small door and a second one for comfortable cleaning and installation of branches and necessary accessories.

Plexiglas is also popular; a wall made of it is installed on the north or windy side to protect the parrot from cool and strong air currents.

An example of an aviary for medium parrots:

You can also make an aviary for parrots with your own hands from plastic pipes. Read on for more details.

Enclosures for medium and large parrots are most securely locked with padlocks. You will be confident that no matter how hard your pet tries to break free, it will not be able to do this without your knowledge.

What should be the mesh for enclosures?

The best option would be to buy a stainless steel mesh - it is the safest and most durable. Galvanized mesh is also durable, but the presence of zinc in it is dangerous for the health of birds. Despite this, due to its availability and practicality, owners often use it in homemade enclosures.

If you do not have the opportunity to purchase stainless steel, thoroughly rinse the galvanized mesh with warm water and a sponge and wipe with vinegar. After rinsing, let the acetic acid evaporate and only then can you use the mesh.

Metal mesh covered with plastic or plastic mesh should not be considered suitable housing materials for parrots.

When purchasing a mesh, pay attention to the absence of rust and abrasions, which, in the future, can lead to it.

The thickness of the mesh for large parrots should be more than 5 mm, that is, such that the bird cannot bite through it.

Do-it-yourself homemade (indoor) aviaries for parrots

Indoor bird enclosures are radically different from outdoor ones. A preliminary drawing of the enclosure on paper will help you avoid gross mistakes and miscalculations, as well as determine the amount of materials and the design of the cage.

When building an aviary for budgies with your own hands, the size of the mesh is very important. The optimal cell size is 15 x 15 mm; if the cells are rectangular in shape, then a larger size is allowed.

The following materials are used for their construction: washers, screws, bolts, latches for doors and curtains, welded mesh, metal corner or pipe, wood (hardwood only), wire, linoleum. For convenience, the owners try to make them collapsible.

Welded mesh is very convenient to attach to any surface, and it is practical to use.

After you have decided on the place where the enclosure will be located and what kind of lighting there will be (if without access to sunlight, then choose a suitable parrot) you need to calculate the number of doors, since in addition to the fact that you may have to attach a nesting house or bathing house to one of them, you will need a door to replace food and water, as well as for cleaning the room and catching birds.

The floor in such enclosures contains trays, which makes cleaning the cage much more convenient. If you decide to buy kitchen trays made of food-grade plastic, then the dimensions of the enclosure will have to be adjusted to fit them; in other cases this does not need to be done. Do not forget that since the tray extends completely, it is necessary to have space for such manipulations.

If your tray is low, make high sides to avoid debris around the enclosure. Heavy and large pallets are equipped with wheels. The bottom of the enclosure is made of plywood.

An example of building a small aviary for small and medium-sized species of parrots.

Cramer's ringed parrot (Psittacula crameri) or Indian ringed parrot is a widespread bird belonging to the subfamily of true parrots. The Indian ringed parrot is the most numerous species of parrots from this subfamily.

Description of the necklace parrot

The necklace parrot received its first species description more than two hundred years ago.. The name was received by this species thanks to the work of the naturalist and naturalist Giovanni Scopoli, who thus perpetuated the memory of the famous explorer Wilhelm Kramer.

Parrot intelligence

The very friendly character, as well as the fairly high intelligence of the Kramer parrot, made this bird popular among lovers and breeders of exotic feathered pets. Taking into account the extraordinary intelligence of the species, it is very important to provide the ringed parrot from a fairly early age with a large variety of toys, including educational items and food items.

Appearance and colors of the parrot

Kramer's parrot is a relatively small bird. Average body and tail length adult does not exceed 41-42 cm, with a wing length of 15-16 cm. The parrot has a slender build and a relatively elongated body. The average weight of an adult varies between 115-140 g.

The main color of the ringed parrot's plumage is green, grassy. The occipital region of the head is characterized by a bluish tint. There is a black color on the throat plumage, and from the beak to the eyes there is a thin but very well defined stripe of black coloring. Another black stripe encircles the bird’s neck halfway. In males, this stripe has a peculiar pinkish border. The pair of longest tail feathers are colored quite bright blue. The lower part of the flight feathers is dark gray, and the tail feathers are olive-yellow.

The beak is bright red, and the tip and area of ​​the mandible are dark, almost black in color. The throat part of the mandible of males is black, while in females it is usually characterized by a dark green color. Paws are gray, with a slight pink tint.

This is interesting! The weakly expressed sexual dimorphism of Kramer's parrot somewhat complicates the ability to independently distinguish a female from a male. In this case, you need to focus on the black and pink neck “necklace”, which females completely lack.

Range, habitats in the wild

The distribution area and natural habitat of this species is extremely wide. This is the only species of all known parrots that lives both in Asia and Africa.

This is interesting! Under natural conditions, Kramer's parrot prefers to live in forest areas and open landscapes with numerous thorny bushes, as well as in savannas.

The African distribution area is represented by Mali, the southern part of Niger, the northern regions of Ghana and Burkina Faso, and also includes Togo and Benin, the southern part of Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad, the northern part of the Central African Republic, Uganda and the northwestern territory of Somalia. The Asian distribution area is represented by almost all of South Asia and part of the Southeast.

Contents: necklace parrot at home

IN natural conditions There are several varieties of necklace parrots, but domestic poultry farmers successfully keep Himalayan, emerald, Chinese, red-headed and Mauritius parrots at home.

Malabar, Rose-breasted, Alexandrine and Plum-headed Necklace parrots also get along well in captivity.

Setting up a parrot cage

You can keep your feathered pet either in a fairly spacious birdcage or in a special aviary, where such a frisky exotic bird it will be much more comfortable. Also, aviary keeping should be preferred if you intend to independently breed a tropical feathered pet. Under natural conditions, the necklace parrot spends a significant part of its time flying, so when home care Such an exotic animal should be let out quite often to fly around the house.

Important! With the help of its powerful beak, Kramer's parrot can very easily damage relatively fragile structures, so the cage and aviary must be made of sufficiently strong metal rods with high-quality anti-corrosion treatment.

Care and hygiene

The cage or aviary for a necklace parrot should be spacious enough to allow the bird to fly freely from branch to branch. Once a week you need to thoroughly clean your pet's home. There should always be fresh water in the drinking bowl. The feeder and drinker need to be washed very well every day..

It is recommended to provide the bird with an ambient temperature of 15-20 o C with an air humidity of 60-70%. The necklace parrot feels most comfortable when there is less than 12 hours of daylight, so if necessary, “night” is created artificially.

Diet - what to feed the necklace parrot

Despite its unpretentiousness, such a feathered pet as the necklace parrot needs a properly selected diet. The daily menu must include:

• canary mixture – 10-15%;
• oats – 25%;
• sunflower seeds – 10-15%;
• millet – 35%;
• fresh vegetables – 5-7%.

One adult should have approximately 20-30g of this mixture. You can periodically supplement the diet of your feathered pet. walnuts and almonds, sweet boiled corn or sprouted wheat.

This is interesting! Kramer's parrot loves oatmeal, hard-boiled chicken and quail eggs, various fruits, as well as low-fat cottage cheese and hard unsalted cheeses.

Lifespan

According to numerous studies, the average number of feathered pets directly depends on the species characteristics. Necklace parrots, provided they are properly maintained and fed properly, can live thirty years or even more in captivity.

This is interesting! A young ring-necked parrot can be identified by its paler plumage than the adult bird's feathers.

The beak has a pinkish-red color. From about the age of six months, an orange edging characteristic of the species appears around the eyes of the necklace parrot. At the age of twelve months, after molting, males acquire a barely noticeable and fairly thin necklace, which is fully formed by about three years.

Parrot diseases and prevention

Necklace parrot chicks are more susceptible to disease. In a brood of ringed parrots, chicks may appear with “frog legs”, which are cramped or are distinguished by turning outward. The anomaly is caused by disturbances in the activity of the nervous system, which is caused by a lack of vitamins belonging to group “B”. Such chicks are not subject to treatment.

For preventive purposes, it is necessary to clean breeding premises daily, thoroughly rinse feeders and drinkers, and treat baths and perches. In nesting areas, it is important to maintain a certain temperature regime and completely eliminate any drafts.

Parrot breeding

Kramer's parrots reach sexual maturity at the age of two years, but the bird's breeding season begins only at three or four years. The species is monogamous, and pairs form for a long period, but not for life.

The incubation period for the female to lay eggs is three or four weeks. The hatched chicks are completely helpless and naked. The skin and beak are pink. The chicks usually stay in the nest for one and a half months. Necklace parrots feed their chicks with semi-digested regurgitated gruel, and not only the female, but also the male participate in the feeding process.

Is it possible to teach a necklace parrot to talk?

Necklace parrots speak relatively rarely in captivity, but they are able to imitate various sounds quite well. To teach your pet to talk, you need to be patient and strictly follow the recommendations of experts. Poultry birds perceive the voice of a woman and a child best, which is due to a more subtle register. It is enough if the necklace parrot remembers one simple word a day.

Important! As the practice of keeping such birds at home shows, male necklace parrots learn to speak much faster than females, but it is the females who are able to pronounce the learned words more accurately and clearly.

If you decide to purchase a necklace parrot, then it is advisable to contact a specialized nursery that sells obviously tame and completely healthy birds. As a rule, old or wild birds smuggled into our country are sold “hands-on”.

Where to buy, what to look for

After choosing a nursery or an experienced, well-established breeder, you need to make a careful visual inspection of the purchased bird:

It is best to purchase a young chick no older than one and a half months. When buying a grown bird, the most you can hope for is to teach your pet to imitate whistling or inarticulate sounds.

Important! When examining the beak, ears and eyes, abscesses and tumors, fresh or dried secretion products, and damage by scabies mites should not be detected.

Price of a necklace parrot

Affordable cost distinguishes birds imported from their natural habitat that have undergone quarantine maintenance. The most expensive is a domestic feathered pet, which is sold with an ornithological and veterinary passport, and has also undergone the microchipping procedure.

The cost of a ring-necked parrot starts at 12 thousand rubles. The price of the most popular Indian ringed parrot or Kramer's necklace parrot of natural color cannot be less than ten thousand rubles.

If you are often bored, sad, lonely, then get yourself a parrot. This noisy, funny and very friendly pet will bring positive variety to your life.

But before you adopt a feathered friend at home, it’s worth getting acquainted with the variety of species and breeds of this representative of the bird world. Let's single out from this screaming, flapping wings, blazing with all the colors of the rainbow flock best option– medium-sized parrots.

Kinds

The most popular specimens living near humans are Corella, cockatoo, rosella, ringed and Senegal parrots.

Cockatiels (nymph parakeets)

With a pointed crest and red spots on the cheeks, such birds are very similar to cockatoos. Of the 30-35 cm body length, half belongs to the wedge-shaped elegant tail. With its unusual appearance and their friendly nature, cockatiels have earned extraordinary popularity and demand among bird lovers. They love space, are curious, explore with interest the corners of not only their cage, but the entire home, and easily become domestic, sweet, affectionate and unpretentious members of the family.

Another disadvantage of nymphed parrots is their voice, which is harsh and unpleasant. But they do not scream too often: out of fear, excitement or indignation.

Cockatoo

Among the average representatives of the species, Goffin's cockatoo, pink cockatoo, Inca cockatoo (or Major Mitchell's cockatoo) are of interest. Cockatoos can be called the most amusing and funny intellectuals. They quickly learn to sing, squat, bow, open cage locks, unscrew nuts or, like a real football player, kick some small objects instead of a ball.

Unpretentious and hardy, but with a capricious character and desperate screamers.

Rosella

Motley, bright, with a scaly color that distinguishes them from all other parrots, good-natured, cheerful and sociable - well, what else is needed for universal adoration. True, these birds don’t like to talk either, but they love to sing and imitate various sounds. They love water procedures very much. But, if the owner gives a reason, they become jealous and selfish.

Ringed parrots

These birds are characterized by grace and intelligence. The green plumage, iridescent in all shades of this color, the “necklace” around the neck and the “tie” on the chest make them real aristocrats in their community. They have been tamed by humans for so long that they have become very diligent students. Among the ringed parrots there are many capable individuals that can be not only to teach you to speak, but also to wean you from shouting harshly and unpleasantly.

Senegal parrot

This handsome green-orange-yellow with a gray head loves himself and his owner, and is quite aggressive towards other birds and people. Therefore, the owner of such a bird will need a lot of effort, patience and time to raise an adequate and tolerant pet.

Laurie

"Lori" means "clown" in Dutch. The bird got its name due to its bright plumage, which includes all the colors of the rainbow. It is not surprising that representatives of this species are considered the most beautiful among parrots. The birds are perfectly tamed, very friendly, but require special care, have a hard time withstanding life in captivity and, unlike all parrots that eat plant seeds, eat berries, nectar and pollen.

The weight of average parrots ranges from 100 to 200 grams, body length is on average 30 cm, life expectancy is from 15 to 30 years.

What will you need for maintenance?

Of course, it’s not easy to choose among such a variety. But your future life, and the life of the living creature you have taken under your care, depends on the correctness of your choice. First, decide what attracts you to parrots: beautiful plumage, learning abilities, singing, and maybe breeding parrots. Assess the capabilities of the room: humidity (70-75%), temperature (20-22°), the ability to fly, stretching your wings. Also think about how much time you can devote to your pet, how other family members will react to a newcomer, Consider your ability to provide the conditions required by your chosen species.

The first step is to purchase a house for a new tenant. In most cases, this is a cage, less often - an aviary. The size of the cage depends on the size of the bird and its habits. The cage should be convenient for feeding, cleaning, neat and beautiful, and well made.

The cell must not be empty. Place in it:

• feeders for dry food, mineral supplements, raw food;
• drinking bowls;
• bath;
• perches;
• toys;
• mirrors;
• rattles and other little things that your pet likes.

What to feed?

For the normal development of a parrot, it needs a nutritious, varied diet.

Almost all types of parrots are unpretentious to food, but do not like monotony. The main food is the seeds of wild and cultivated plants: millet, wheat, oats, canary seed, flaxseed. The diet of birds must include fresh vegetables, berries, fruits, herbs, and it’s also worth pampering the bird sometimes cottage cheese, boiled egg, animal products (mealworms, insect larvae and pupae).

In addition to proteins, carbohydrates, fats and vitamins contained in food, a parrot needs mineral supplements: shell rock, eggshells, chalk, clay, table salt.

Provide your pet with proper nutrition and maintenance, and he will feel great, sing a lot, reproduce successfully and bring you a lot of joy and positivity.

Even more species of parrots are discussed in the following video.