Psittacula calthorpae [Blyth 1849]

Emerald-collared Parakeet

Psittacula calthorpae (Blyth 1849)

Description: General plumage green; head bluish-grey; forehead, lores and eye area washed with green; chin and stripe to cheek black; bluish-green band to nape; back and lower back bluish-grey; lesser wing-coverts grey; median wing-coverts yellowish-green; tail blue with yellow tips; upper mandible red with yellowish tip; lower mandible brownish; iris pale yellow; feet grey.

Hen with black upper mandible.

Immatures with orange-red upper and lower mandible in both cock and hen; grey plumage green in immatures irregular bright green band to nape; lower back greyish-blue, iris dark; adult plumage attained by 15 months.

Length: 29 cm, wing length 135 - 145 mm, tail length 117 - 135 mm.

Distribution: Sri Lanka

Habitat: Forested areas to 2,000 m; prefers forest edges and clearings.

Status: Common in localities.

Behaviour: In pairs or small groups outside breeding season; approachable when feeding during morning in treetops; often associates with Brahminy Mynahs (Sturnus pagodarum) when feeding on fruits of kanda tree; becomes restless and noisy after feeding; forages again in evening; moves around aimlessly and noisily before flying to roosting trees; flight swift and direct;

Call: Aucous chattering call when in flight.

Natural diet: Seeds, fruits, berries, flowers, nectar and leaf buds foraged in trees.

Nesting: Breeding season from January to May, often repeated from July to September; nests in hollow tree trunks or branches; mostly at considerable height; nest lined with tiny pieces of bark or wood-dust, clutch 3 to 4 eggs; egg measures 24.7 x 19.3 mm.

Aviculture: Medium-noisy parakeet; initially shy, later confiding; not especially hard chewer; susceptible during acclimatisation.

Accommodation: Outside flight 4 x 1 x 2 m with adjoining indorr area; minimum temperature 5°C; not less than 20°C during acclimatisation.

Diet: Seed mix of buckwheat, sunflower, safflower, various millets, canary grass seed, oats and hemp; millet spray (also sprouted); plenty of fruit, greenfood and vegetables; eggfood and bsicuit for rearing.

Clutch: 3 - 4 eggs.

Incubation: 23 days.

Breeding: Rare; very limited breeding; breeding begins in May; clutch 3 to 4 eggs; inlubation 21 days; fledging period 7 weeks; sexually mature at 2 years.