The Plum-headed parakeet (Psittacula cyanocephala) is a colorful parrot that was once thought to be conspecific with the Bossom-headed parakeet. Plum-headed parakeets spend their time in flocks and fly swiftly with twists and turns accompanied by their distinctive calls.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
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FrugivoreA frugivore is an animal that thrives mostly on raw fruits or succulent fruit-like produce of plants such as roots, shoots, nuts, and seeds. Approx...
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GranivoreSeed predation, often referred to as granivory, is a type of plant-animal interaction in which granivores (seed predators) feed on the seeds of pla...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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ArborealArboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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MonogamyMonogamy is a form of relationship in which both the male and the female has only one partner. This pair may cohabitate in an area or territory for...
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FlockingFlocking birds are those that tend to gather to forage or travel collectively. Avian flocks are typically associated with migration. Flocking also ...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe Plum-headed parakeet is a mainly green parrot. The male has a red head which shades to purple-blue on the back of the crown, nape, and cheeks, while the female has a blueish-gray head. There is a narrow black neck collar with verdigris below on the nape and a black chin stripe that extends from the lower mandible. 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 dull bluish-grey head and lacks the black and verdigris collar, which is replaced by yellow. The upper mandible is corn-yellow and there is no black chin stripe or red shoulder patch. Immature birds have a green head and both mandibles are yellowish. The dark head is acquired after a year. The delicate bluish-red appearance resembling the bloom of a peach is produced by a combination of blue from the optical effects produced by the rami of the feather and a red pigment in the barbules.
Plum-headed parakeets are native to the Indian Subcontinent. They are found from the foothills of the Himalayas south to Sri Lanka and don't occur in the dry regions of western India. Plum-headed parakeets live in forests and open woodland, even in city gardens.
Plum-headed parakeets are gregarious and noisy birds and communicate with each other using various raucous calls. They also roost communally. Their usual flight and contact call is 'tuink' repeated now and then. The flight is swift, and the birds often twist and turn rapidly. Plum-headed parakeets are diurnal and make local movements, driven mainly by the availability of the fruit and blossoms that make up their diet.
Plum-headed parakeets have a herbivorous (frugivorous, granivorous) diet. These birds eat grains, fruits, and the fleshy petals of flowers (Salmalia, Butea) and sometimes raid agricultural fields and orchards.
Plum-headed parakeets are monogamous and form strong pairs for life. In India, they usually breed from December to April, and July to August in Sri Lanka. Courtship includes bill rubbing and courtship feeding. Plum-headed parakeets nest in holes, chiselled out by the pair, in tree trunks. The female lays 4-6 white eggs and appears to be solely responsible for incubation and feeding.
Plum-headed parakeets are not considered threatened at present but their population is declining due to the continuous loss of their natural habitat.
According to the IUCN Red List, the Plum-headed parakeet is locally common throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List but its numbers today are decreasing.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...