Long-tailed Parakeets (Psittacula longicaudia)
Long-tailed Parakeets are a handsome species, The male has mostly green overall plumage with long purplish-blue tail-streamers, bright red bill, reddish-pink head,-sides and nape, deep green crown and broad black malar band. Females resemble the male but have shorter tail-streamers, brownish bill, greenish nape, dark green malar band and reddish-pink supercillium. Juveniles resemble the female but have an overall duller appearance. The adult size is 40-42cm. Female (left) and male (right) Male Long-tailed parakeet Male on the left and juvenile on the right Close-up view of the female. The species is found from the Andaman and Malabar Islands to the Thai-Malay peninsular, Sumatra and Borneo. The species has been listed as vulnerable by BirdLife International, Their diet consists of a variety of berries, papaya, areca nuts, a wide selection of cultivated and wild fruit, seeds and cultivated grains such as corn. The species has a restricted distribution. I had encountered the species in S...