Psittacula cyanocephala
The Plum-headed Parakeet (Psittacula cyanocephala) is a striking member of the Old World parrot family, Psittaculidae, instantly recognizable by its pronounced sexual dimorphism. Males boast a vibrant plum-colored head, transitioning to a purplish-red on the hindcrown and nape, framed by a distinct black neck collar and a maroon patch on the wing-coverts. Their body plumage is predominantly emerald green, complemented by a long, bluish-green tail tipped with yellow, measuring 30-33 cm from be...
Found primarily in open deciduous forests, woodlands, agricultural lands with scattered trees, orchards, and urban gardens, typically up to 1500 meters, but sometimes higher in the Himalayas.
Their diet consists mainly of seeds (e.g., figs, acacias, neem), a wide variety of fruits (guava, mango, berries), flower nectar and petals, buds, nuts, and agricultural grains.
Plum-headed Parakeets are diurnal and highly gregarious, often forming large, noisy flocks outside the breeding season, which gather at communal roosts at dusk. They are agile arboreal foragers, employing acrobatic techniques to access fruits, seeds, flowers, and buds. During the breeding season,...
The Plum-headed Parakeet is widely distributed across the Indian subcontinent and extends into parts of Southeast Asia, making it a common resident throughout much of its range. Its western limit stretches across eastern Pakistan and Nepal, eastward through almost all of India, Bangladesh, and Sr...
Least Concern
- The plum-colored head of the male Plum-headed Parakeet is unique among *Psittacula* parakeets, giving the species its evocative name. - Despite their wild nature, they are highly valued as cage birds for their striking beauty and remarkable ability to mimic human speech and other sounds. - They...