Its name was given in honour of Princess Alexandra of Denmark, who in 1863 married the Prince of Wales Edward VII and eventually became Queen of the United Kingdom.

The males have longer tail feathers and brighter coloring than females.

The male also has a coral-red beak, while the female's is duller and has a greyish crown.

In addition, the male of the species has a longer, projecting extension from the end of the 3rd primary (flight) feather on each side.

[citation needed] This species is nomadic, arriving in small groups to breed and then disappearing.

These parakeets are truly opportunistic breeders, with pairs choosing to nest when food is plentiful.