VMD 513: Pet animal Breeding, Management, Nutrition and Health Care (1+1)

B. The malabar parakeet

THE MALABAR PARAKEET [web link.....]

• The Malabar (or blue-winged ) parakeet, P columboides is another beautiful bird.
• The male is primarily gray. A black band completely circles the neck; a blue band is below the black band and changes to a light green.
• The wings and tail feathers are dark blue with a yellow tinge to the tips; yellow also appears on the vent and underside of the tail.
• Males have a red beak, and there is a tinge of green around the eyes. Females have a black head and do not have the collar.
• The Malabar Parakeet also known as the Blue-winged Parakeet, (Psittacula columboides) is endemic to the Western Ghats of southern India.
• The species is evolutionarily close to Layard's parakeet (Psittacula calthropae) endemic to Sri Lanka.
• They breed in the dry season after the northeast Monsoon and the chicks fledge before the southwest Monsoon in June.
• They nest in holes in trees, especially old woodpecker and barbet nests.
• The birds begin breeding in December and eggs are laid in December and January.
• The usual clutch was 4 eggs which hatch after about 23 days.
• The female initially broods with the male bringing food and later the male takes over. The chicks

Male	Female