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Parakeets at Sian Tuan: 2. Gathering around coconut palms

on 29th November 2018

Parakeets at Sian Tuan: 1. The parakeets are flying in.

A pair of Rose-ringed Parakeets on a coconut frond.

The regular morning and evening visits of Rose-ringed Parakeets (Psittacula krameri) saw them settling on the roof of a few houses …LINK. During these visits they also landed on the two Coconut Palms (Cocos nucifera) found in the different gardens (above, video below).

The parakeets moved from the palms to the roof of houses, staying for a few minutes before flying off. Within a short while more parakeets flew in.

An adult Rose-ringed Parakeet feeding a juvenile – video grab.

A pair of adult parakeets and a juvenile perched on a slender, vertical, central unexpanded frond of a palm. One adult perching at the top fed the juvenile blow. The adult regurgitated food from its crop and transferred it into the mouth of the juvenile below (above, video below).

The other adult, perching below the juvenile did not get involve in feeding. Before the feeding was completed, this adult flew off. Once feeding was completed, the other adult flew off followed by the juvenile.

A Rose-ringed Parakeet cleaning its mandible using its claw – video grab.

Another adult was busy indulging in its comfort behavior. It started off with preening its body feathers, first breast, then the back feathers. It is interesting to note that if can turn its head 180 degrees to reach the back feathers. It fans out its tail feathers to preen them (above). What was most interesting was that it used its sharp claw not only to preen its head feathers but also to clean its mandibles – or can it be using the mandibles to clean its toes? (video below).

YC Wee
Singapore
17th November 2018

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

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