Gray-headed Parakeet

Psittacula finschii

Content

Of 36 to 40 cm.. length and 120 g. of weight.
The Gray-headed Parakeet (Psittacula finschii) It is very similar to Slaty-headed Parakeet but smaller, with feathers tail longer, the head slightly paler, upperparts and more yellowish underwing-coverts darker blue-green.

The Gray-headed Parakeet (Psittacula finschii) has the forecrown, crown, lores and ear-coverts Grey Slate-blue; the chin and the lower part of the cheeks, black, It forming a narrow collar which marks a clear boundary between the head dark and a bright ring greenish blue on the back of the neck.

Nape brighter yellowish green, duller green fading in the rest of the upper region.

Upperwing-coverts green except for the brown of the inner coverts, that makes the effect of a distinctive patch on the shoulder; primaries Green with a narrow yellow margin on the vane outer; secondaries green.

Underwing-coverts dark bluish green. Underparts bright pale green. Uppertail lilac blue with pale yellow tips, outer feathers Greens with vane internal and yellow tips; undertail-coverts ochre-coloured.

upper jaw coral red to vermilion with yellow tip, lower jaw yellow; cere whitish; irises creamy white to yellow; legs greenish.

The females and immature as the Slaty-headed Parakeet.

NOTE:

Sometimes considered the same species as the Slaty-headed Parakeet, but the lack of intergradation in a possible area of overlap in Bhutan and the northeast of the India (Arunachal Pradesh) suggests appropriate treatment as allospecies.

• Sound of the Gray-headed Parakeet.

Similar to the Slaty-headed Parakeet. Frequents forests of oak, teak, cedar and pine, wooded hills and open farmland with tall trees. Move altitude between 650 and 3.800 m (in Yunnan, China), rarely drop below 250 m, usually at or near the mountainous terrain.

Mainly distributed in the forest Viet Nam, but, according to sources, laz away from growing areas and tolerant of lower and more open habitats.

In general, obsevadas in flocks or or small family groups, but also it is seen in larger numbers than in Burma.

The breeding season in the central and southern Burma It covers the months January, February and March.

One nest four eggs was observed 12 meter high tree species Xylio dolabiformis.

Diet Gray-headed Parakeet It is thought to resemble that of the Slaty-headed Parakeet; reported items include leaf buds, seeds of Dendrocalamus longispathus, fruit of wild cherries Prunus and flowers.

The Gray-headed Parakeet It is distributed in the east of the Himalayas towards Indochina. They range from east to Bhutan towards Arunachal Pradesh and south through Nagaland, Assam (to the South of the rio Brahmaputra). Manipur, Mizoram and Bangladesh oriental (Sylhet and area of Chittagong). Through Burma (South of Tenasserim), al sur-oeste de China (center Sichuan and North of Yunnan), the mountainous districts of northern and southwestern Thailand, South of Laos, Kampuchea and Viet Nam, especially the western slopes of the central mountains.

Usually common and resident (in some places very common), but lacking in some areas and subject to local fluctuations and irregular appearances.

Recent decline in Thailand, where it is now rare in more accessible areas. Uncommon in China. Some seasonal altitudinal movements in some parts of the range. Very popular cage bird in some parts of the home territory.

State of conservation ⓘ
Near Threatened ⓘ (UICN)ⓘ

• Current Red List of UICN: Near-threatened

• Population trend: Decreasing

The size of the world population Gray-headed Parakeet It has not been quantified, but the species, according to sources, is rare in China, Variable and elsewhere (pit et to the. 1997).

The population is suspected rapid decline because of continued habitat loss and trapping. Observations of local trends in some parts, within its range, support this suspicion, for example in Cambodia, at least since the early 1990 (F. Goes in some. 2013, T. Gray in litt. 2013, RJ Timmins in litt. 2013).

The Gray-headed Parakeet is being widely taken for the cage bird trade and is kept locally as a companion animal, for example, in Laos and China (JW Duckworth in litt. 2013, M. Zhang in some. 2013).

In China, poaching and illegal trade in this species continues: it was reported that in one village, each family has an individual of this species as a pet (M. Zhang in some. 2013).

The pressure at which it is subjected for his capture may also be contributing to the observed decrease in Cambodia (F. Goes in some. 2013).

Lowland forests Indochina They are under intense pressure, above all in Cambodia, because of the authorization for large-scale industrial agriculture. This particularly affects areas with evergreen or semi-evergreen forest, rather than forest deciduous, because the best conditions for growing (S. Mahood in some. 2013).

This species is dependent areas and forests with evergreens, whereby the effects of logging can seriously affect, especially since it is likely to depend on large trees for nesting. Habitats where large trees are scarce, as forests and hill areas with mixed forest deciduous, patches of evergreen forest and semi-evergreen forest, They are under particular pressure from logging, even for local use (S. Mahood in some. 2013).

It is expected that the loss of habitat Cambodia bring a devastating impact on this species over the next decade, although there may be a delay before the actual effects were observed in the population (H. Rainey in some. 2013).

Conservation Actions Underway:

The species is known to occur in some protected areas across its range, as in the Mondulkiri Protected Forest, Cambodia (T. Gray in litt. 2013).

– Uncommon in captivity outside its range.

It is unclear how much spread among breeders, as often it was considered a subspecies of the more common Slaty-headed Parakeet. It is a very mountain bird resistant, at low temperatures is not a problem for them, However, must be protected facilities available to avoid sudden changes in temperature and drafts.

How other Psittacula, the Gray-headed Parakeet You need to nibble fresh branches, although it is not a destructive bird that could demolish a wooden aviary.

– Gray-headed Parakeet, Eastern Slaty-headed Parakeet, Finsch’s Parakeet, Finsch’s Slaty-headed Parakeet, Gray headed Parakeet, Grey headed Parakeet, Grey-headed Parakeet, Slaty-headed parakeet (English).
– Perruche de Finsch, Perruche à tête grise (French).
– Finschsittich, Burma-Schwarzkopfedelsittich, Finschs Edelsittich, Finsch-Sittich, Himalayasittich, Himalayasittich-finschii, Veraguasittich (German).
– Periquito-de-cabeça-cinza (Portuguese).
– Cotorra de Finsch (español).

– Order: Psittaciformes
– Family: Psittaculidae
– Genus: Psittacula
– Scientific name: Psittacula finschii
– Citation: (Hume, 1874)
– Protonimo: Palaeornis Finschii

Gray-headed Parakeet (Psittacula finschii)

Sources:

– Avibase
– Parrots of the World – Forshaw Joseph M
– Parrots A Guide to the Parrots of the World – Tony Juniper & Mike Parr
– Birdlife

– Photos:

(1) – Bird perched on a home made perch. Part of the tail appears to be missing by Vijay Anand Ismavel – Lynx
(2) – Gould, John, 1804-1881; Sharpe, Richard Bowdler, 1847-1909: Birds of Asia by John Gould [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
(3) – Finsch’s Parakeet Psittacula finschii by Raju Kasambe. Photo taken in Imphal Zoo, Manipur, India By Dr. Raju Kasambe (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

– Sounds: Pritam Baruah (Xeno-canto)