Ananth Ramasamy’s image of the Red-breasted Parakeet (Psittacula alexandri) eating the fruits of Lagerstroemia sp. was photographed at Pasir Ris Park. It complements our earlier post of the same parakeet species eating the fruits of the Rose of India (Lagerstroemia speciosa), also taken at the same park. Note that two lower fruits in the image above have been bitten.
These trees are commonly planted along the wayside and in parks and gardens. They have attractive bunches of mauve flowers. The fruits are hard woody capsules that split open to liberate the winged seeds.
Apparently the parakeets bite into the woody fruits before they harden with ripening, to get at the soft developing seeds inside.
This post is a cooperative effort between Birds, Insects N Creatures Of Asia and BESG to bring the study of birds and their behavior through photography and videography to a wider audience.
