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Species Profile

Genus:
Psittacula

Species:
longicauda

Size:	Adult Weight:
42cm (16.4 in)	125g (4.4 oz)

Races including nominate:
five: P.l. longicauda, P.l. defontainei, P.l. modesta, P.l. tytleri, P.l. nicobarica

Colourization Adult: P.l. longicauda: male-blue/black lores and line through eye; rose/red sides of head and area behind eye to nape and hindneck; black chin and lower cheeks; dull yellow mantle and upper back washed with blue/grey; pale blue rump and lower back; dark blue, long, central tail feathers tipped yellow/green. Red upper mandible, dark brown lower mandible. Eye pale yellow. Female-dull orange/red upper cheeks, ear coverts and superciliary line to sides of occiput; dark green chin and lower cheeks; green nape and hindneck, reaching forward as thin band to eye; green mantle to upper tail coverts; short central tail feathers. Bill dark brown. P.l. defontainei: both adults as in longicauda, but crown more yellow; deep red upper cheeks. P.l. modesta: male-deep crimson sides of head, becoming paler on nape and hindneck; dull red crown tinted with green. Larger in size. Female-green/brown crown; red ear coverts with blue band bordering. Larger in size. P.l. tytleri: male-yellow/green nape to mantle and upper back and washed with grey/lilac; breast darker green and suffused with grey/lilac; green rump and lower back; centre tail feathers paler green/blue tipped with yellow/green. Larger in size. Female-bright green crown; red/pink upper cheeks and ear coverts; red/pink superciliary line absent; centre tail feathers shorter and paler green/blue tipped with yellow/green. Larger in size. P.l. nicobarica: male-bright green crown; yellow/green nape tinted with mauve; bright red ear coverts and upper cheeks; green upperparts, washed with blue on mantle. Larger in size. Female-olive/green crown and nape to mantle; brighter red ear coverts and upper cheeks but superciliary line absent. Larger in size.

Colourization Juvenile: P.l. longicauda: as in adult female, but with dull green upper cheeks and ear coverts washed with orange/red; superciliary line absent; in male, rump slightly suffused with blue. Tail short. Eye grey. P.l. tytleri: as in adult female but with green sides of head washed with dull pink; green rump in both sexes. Eye grey. P.l nicobarica: as in adult female, but sides of head green washed with dull red; green rump in both sexes. Eye grey.

Call: Calls made in flight are described as loud and discordant, also high-pitched and melodious notes, nasal, quavering, goose-like sounds and bursts of scolding.

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