Blossom-headed parakeet
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Blossom-headed parakeet | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Psittaciformes |
Family: | Psittaculidae |
Genus: | Psittacula |
Species: | P. roseata
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Binomial name | |
Psittacula roseata Biswas, 1951
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The blossom-headed parakeet (Psittacula roseata) is a parrot which is a resident breeder in Eastern Bangladesh, Bhutan, Northeast India and Nepal, eastwards into South-east Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam) and also China.[1] It undergoes local movements, driven mainly by the availability of the fruit and blossoms which make up its diet.
![BlossomHeadedParakeetGould.jpg](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/BlossomHeadedParakeetGould.jpg/220px-BlossomHeadedParakeetGould.jpg)
It has two subspecies, nominate and juneae Blossom-headed parakeet is a bird of forest and open woodland. It nests in holes in trees, laying 4-5 white eggs.
This is a green parrot, 30 cm long with a tail up to 18 cm. The male's head is pink becoming pale 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 yellow. The upper mandible is yellow, and the lower mandible is dark.
The female has a pale grey head and lacks the black neck collar and chin stripe patch. The lower mandible is pale. Immature birds have a green head and a grey chin. Both mandibles are yellowish and there is no red shoulder patch.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/Blossom-headedParakeet.jpg/220px-Blossom-headedParakeet.jpg)
The different head colour and the yellow tip to the tail distinguish this species from the similar plum-headed parakeet (Psittacula cyanocephala).
Blossom-headed parakeet is a gregarious and noisy species with range of raucous calls.
References[]
- ^ a b BirdLife International (2017) [amended version of 2016 assessment]. "Psittacula roseata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T22685486A111365871. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T22685486A111365871.en. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
- Birds of India by Grimmett, Inskipp and Inskipp, ISBN 0-691-04910-6
External links[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Psittacula roseata. |
- Oriental Bird Images: Blossom-headed parakeet Selected photos
- IUCN Red List near threatened species
- Psittacula
- Parrots of Asia
- Birds of Northeast India
- Birds of Southeast Asia
- Birds described in 1951
- Taxa named by Biswamoy Biswas