Plum-headed Parakeet
Encyclopedia
The Plum-headed Parakeet (Psittacula cyanocephala) is a parakeet
endemic to the Indian Subcontinent
, being a resident breeder in much of the region.
The female has a grey head, corn-yellow upper-mandible and lacks the black neck collar, chin stripe and red shoulder patch. Immature birds have a green head and both mandibles are yellowish.
The different head colour and the white tip to the tail distinguish this species from the similar Blossom-headed Parakeet
(Psittacula roseata).
the trade takes its toll on local populations across the range. Population is reduced in urban areas and heavily inhabited zones.
Leslie Eaves was a famous bird breeder who belonged to a bird cage society, he was the first to rear a Plumheaded Parakeet in England
Parakeet
Parakeet is a term for any one of a large number of unrelated small to medium sized species of parrot, that generally have long tail feathers...
endemic to the Indian Subcontinent
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
, being a resident breeder in much of the region.
Description
The Plum-headed Parakeet is a mainly green parrot, 33 cm long with a tail up to 22 cm. The male's head is red, becoming purple-blue on the back of the crown, nape and cheeks. There is a narrow black neck collar and a black chin stripe. There is a red shoulder patch and the rump and tail are bluish-green, the latter tipped white. The upper mandible is orangish-yellow, and the lower mandible is dark.The female has a grey head, corn-yellow upper-mandible and lacks the black neck collar, chin stripe and red shoulder patch. Immature birds have a green head and both mandibles are yellowish.
The different head colour and the white tip to the tail distinguish this species from the similar Blossom-headed Parakeet
Blossom-headed Parakeet
The Blossom-headed Parakeet is a parrot which is a resident breeder in northeast India eastwards into Southeast Asia. It undergoes local movements, driven mainly by the availability of the fruit and blossoms which make up its diet....
(Psittacula roseata).
Behaviour
The Plum-headed Parakeet is a gregarious and noisy species with range of raucous calls. The usual flight and contact call is oink? repeated now and then. In captivity it can learn to mimic beeps and whistles but is not a very good talker. It undergoes local movements, driven mainly by the availability of the fruit and blossoms which make up its diet. It nests in holes in trees, laying 4-6 white eggs.Habitat
The Plum-headed Parakeet is a bird of forest and open woodland. Though this species is not exploited as heavily as the sympatric Alexandrine ParakeetAlexandrine Parakeet
The Alexandrine Parakeet or Alexandrian Parrot is a member of the psittaciformes order and of the psittacines family...
the trade takes its toll on local populations across the range. Population is reduced in urban areas and heavily inhabited zones.
Trivia
Bhutan, Sierra Leone and Sri Lanka have issued stamps depicting the Plumheaded Parakeet.Leslie Eaves was a famous bird breeder who belonged to a bird cage society, he was the first to rear a Plumheaded Parakeet in England