Lineolated Parakeet

There are two subspecies of the barred parakeet: *B. l. lineola (Cassin 1853)

Their habitat is the forests and mountains up to an elevation of roughly above sea level. They spend some of their time on the ground, but sleep high in the trees. They are tolerant of cold and have been seen taking snow baths. The barred parakeet has a large population that is thought to be stable.

There are usually two to four eggs in a clutch, which hatch after about 18–21 days of incubation. Chicks leave the nest at about five weeks after hatching.

Barred parakeets are popular as pets because of their quiet and even-tempered disposition, and also because many colour mutations are available. Green series birds include the normal green (wild type), dark green, olive, and the green series ino called lutino (yellow). Turquoise series birds include turquoise, cobalt, mauve, and the turquoise ino called creamino (white). Greywing, where the barring and overall color is diluted, is another mutation that can fall on any color mutation, even the inos. Violet, misty, and cinnamon types are seen in European aviculture, but rare in the United States. Their average lifespan is about 10 years, but individual birds have been known to live up to 15 years. They are talented mimics of human speech. One of the most recognizable and entertaining characteristics of barred parakeets is that they enjoy bathing and being misted with water. Barred parakeets notably enjoy these mist baths; they will hang upside down and open their wings eagerly. Pet linnies are also known to have a unique trait of liking to burrow or hide in or under clothing for hours on end, and will sometimes fall asleep in their found hiding places. Image:lineolated juji.jpg|Lutino Image:Bolborhynchus lineola.jpg|Turquoise Image:Mazout 3 .jpg|Grey/Mauve Image:Bolborhynchus lineola kobalt.JPG|Blue/Cobalt

Lineolated parakeets are known for their soft chatter and low noise levels, making them ideal apartment pets. They can sometimes make louder noises, but this is normally due to distress or their food dish running low. These birds are also known for their ability to talk and imitate noises. Not all individuals will speak, and normally the male of the species is more vocal; but there are ways to increase the chance of a bird learning words or sounds, including: : Starting when the birds are young. Normally they learn the most words while they are less than two years old or moved into a new environment. : Using imitation games, which start by rewarding the bird after it imitates a noise that the bird is already known to make and then moving on to words or noises once the bird has caught on to the game. : Saying phrases in an excited noise or when the bird is in an excited state. : Having the bird spend time with a bird that is a known talker, especially if it is the same species. Sometimes they will mimic a specific person's tone, normally the person they spend the most time with. They might additionally learn to imitate noises that are undesirable for them to repeat. Unwanted vocalizations can be minimised by not rewarding the bird with laughter or attention, or redirecting by getting the bird to perform another known trick.

Pellets are an ideal base for not only lineolated parakeets, but for many other pet birds as well, as they contain many of the essential vitamins and nutrients the birds need. Seeds should be fed as a branch of the diet but not as a staple, as a seed-based diet can cause obesity, malnutrition, and kidney failure. Green-leaved vegetables such as kale, collard greens, and turnip greens, as well as broccoli, carrot, and cauliflower, are readily consumed. Common fruits that are offered include banana, papaya, apple, apricot, and orange. Hemp, roasted soybeans, potatoes, green peas, strawberries, coconut, pumpkin seed and alfalfa, are other foods that are consumable. It is good to offer different foods to keep the diet balanced. All parrots in captivity should be encouraged to forage for their food in order to keep them from boredom and behavioural problems.

Owners should avoid feeding their birds anything high in salt, sugar, and fat. Common toxic foods include avocado and guacamole, substances containing caffeine (such as tea and coffee), fruit pits and apple seeds (which contain amounts of cyanide), persimmons, onions (prolonged exposure can lead to a blood condition called hemolytic anemia), mushrooms (cause digestion problems and can induce liver failure), dried/uncooked beans (contain hemaglutin, toxic to birds), the stems, vines, and leaves of tomatoes (the actual fruit is fine), and eggplant. ==References==

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