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PARAKEETS(CONTI...)

© Mazhar Ali

HIMALAYAN SLATYHEADED PARAKEET
SIZE Myna; with long pointed tail. Overall length 40cm(16 in).
FIELD CHARACTERS A grass-green parakeet, very like Eastern blossom headed parakeet but with the whole head dark bluish slaty in male. Chin and a narrow black ring encircling neck; a bright verdigris-green collar on hind neck. Prominent dark red patches on wing-shoulders (secondary coverts). Elongated narrow central tail-feathers blue with broad yellow tips, prominent in flight. Female similar but with paler head and no red shoulder-patches.
sexes both sexes distinguished from Eastern blossom headed parakeet by slaty head v. bluish pink or gray, and bright yellow tail-tip v. whitish.
STATUS, HABITAT, ETC; Resident, with marked summer-winter altitudinal movements in addition to the food-finding nomadism. Sikkim and Bhutan; chiefly between 600 and 2500m, sometimes down to 250m locally. Repeated in Arunachal Paradesh by an almost identical species. Keeps to wooded hillsides and valleys in the neibourhood of terraced cultivation and orchards.
FOOD Fruits, grains, flower petals, nectar, etc.
CALL Flight call tooi-tooi? Similar to that of eastern blossom headed parakeet but harsher.

EASTERN SLATYHEADED PARAKEET
SIZE Myna; overall length 40cm(16 in).
FIELD CHARACTERS Indistinguishable from Eastern blossom headed parakeet in the field. In the hand general coloration paler; back more yellow, less grass-green; central tail-feathers longer, narrower and with duller yellow terminal half.
STATUS, HABITAT, ETC; Resident, with marked summer-winter altitudinal movements in addition to the food-finding nomadism. More easterly distribution, from SE.Bhutan through Arunchal Pardesh, Negaland, Manipur, etc.
FOOD; Fruits, grains, flower petals, nectar, etc.
Call; Flight call tooi-tooi…. .

LORIKEET
SIZE Sparrow; length 14cm(5.5 in).
FIELD CHARACTERS a diminutive bright grass-green parrot with crimson rump and short square tail.
SEXES alike, but male has a small blue throat-patch which female lacks.
STATUS, HABITAT, ETC Resident and local migrant. Duars and foothills normally upto 1000m-well-wooded country in evergreen and moist-deciduous biotop. Also occurs elsewhere in the Peninsula and Andamans. Pairs or family parties; larger gatherings where food plentiful. Keeps to the canopy of tall trees, perfectly camouflaged in the foliage. Clambers energetically among the leaf stalk to feed, often hanging upside down to rest. Also roosts at night hanging like a bat.
FLIGHT swift and finch-like-several rapid wing strokes followed by a pause and slight dip.
FOOD pulp of soft fruits, flower nectar, seeds.
CALL a shrill trisyllable bat-like squeaking chi-chi-chee… repeated at intervals chiefly in flight; also while feeding.