Psittacula cyanocephala
The Plum-headed Parakeet is endemic to the Indian subcontinent. It is a gregarious and noisy bird. The male has reddish head, becoming violet-blue on back of crown, nape and cheeks. Instead, the female’s head is bluish-grey.
These parakeets gather in great numbers at dusk on roosting sites in bamboo or small woods, and are often noisy until after dark. Their diet consists mainly of seeds, fruits, nuts, and blossoms.
The Plum-headed parakeet has some pigments that have been found only in parrots. In particular, it has yellow pigment that fluoresces or glows under ultraviolet light.
The above picture was taken in the Attica Zoological Park, Athens, Greece, in June 2007.
Genus Psittacula
Tribe Psittaculini
Subfamily Psittacinae
Family Psittacidae
Order Psittaciformes
Class Aves
Subphylum Vertebrata
Phylum Chordata
Kingdom Animalia
Life on Earth
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