Derbyan Parakeet
Encyclopedia
The Lord Derby's Parakeet (Psittacula derbiana), also known as Derbyan Parakeet, is a monotypic parrot species, which is confined to small pocket of moist evergreen forest in the hills of the India
n state of Arunachal Pradesh
and the Chinese province on its border. The species suffers from poaching for the illegal wildlife trade and fetches a high price in the black market. It is perhaps the rarest of all species of Psittacula
in mainland Asia. The adult male and female are easily distinguished because they have different beak colours and slightly different plumage.
The name of this bird commemorates Edward Stanley, 13th Earl of Derby.
Lord Derby's Parakeets feed on fruits, berries, seeds, and leaf buds, occasionally foraging in gardens and fields.
Immature Lord Derby's Parakeets are duller in colour than the adults. Juvenile birds have green crowns, orange-red upper and lower mandible (beak), and their irises are dark and do not lighten until they reach maturity between two and three years of age.
Breeding season usually begins between April and June. The female lays a clutch of two to four eggs (36.1x27.7 mm (1.42 x 1.09 ins) in nest holes of trees. The young hatch after an incubation period of about 23 days and will fledge after 8 to 9 weeks.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state of Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh is a state of India, located in the far northeast. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south, and shares international borders with Burma in the east, Bhutan in the west, and the People's Republic of China in the north. The majority of the territory is claimed by...
and the Chinese province on its border. The species suffers from poaching for the illegal wildlife trade and fetches a high price in the black market. It is perhaps the rarest of all species of Psittacula
Psittacula
Members of the parrot genus Psittacula or Afro-Asian Ringnecked parakeets as they are commonly known in aviculture originates found from Africa to South-East Asia. It is a widespread group, with a clear concentration of species in south Asia, but also with representatives in Africa and the islands...
in mainland Asia. The adult male and female are easily distinguished because they have different beak colours and slightly different plumage.
The name of this bird commemorates Edward Stanley, 13th Earl of Derby.
Lord Derby's Parakeets feed on fruits, berries, seeds, and leaf buds, occasionally foraging in gardens and fields.
Description
Lord Derby's Parakeets average 20 inches (50 centimeters) in length and are sexually dimorphic. They have a mostly green plumage over their dorsal surface (i.e. from behind), black lores and lower cheeks, a bluish-purple crown and pale yellow eyes. The throat, breast, abdomen and under-wing coverts are greyish blue to lavender. The thighs and vent area are yellowish green with blue edging on some of the feathers. The tail feathers are shades of green, some edged with blue. Male birds have a red upper mandible with a yellow tip, while the lower mandible is black. The females have an all-black beak.Immature Lord Derby's Parakeets are duller in colour than the adults. Juvenile birds have green crowns, orange-red upper and lower mandible (beak), and their irises are dark and do not lighten until they reach maturity between two and three years of age.
Reproduction
External links
- World Parrot Trust Parrot Encyclopedia - Species Profiles
- Derbyan pictures and links
- BirdLife Species Factsheet
- Oriental Bird Images: Derbyan Parakeet Selected photos
- http://animal-world.com/encyclo/birds/parakeets/DerbyanParakeet.php#
- http://home.wanadoo.nl/psittaculaworld/PsittaculaWorld.htm
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derbyan_Parakeet
- http://www.ruffledfeathersaviary.com/derbyan_photos.htm