Vernal Hanging-Parrot 13–15 cm; 35·7 g (captive female). Bill orangish red; plumage generally green, with yellower tone to underparts; pale blue patch on throat; rump and upper tail-coverts red; underside of flight-feathers and tail blue; legs orange.
Vernal Hanging-Parrot Female paler, with blue on throat reduced or lacking. Immature has dull greyish wash on face and cheeks, rump with green feathers.
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Closely related to L. beryllium. Birds of S India were formerly placed in race rubropygialis on basis of darker coloration and duller red rump, but these differences subsequently put down to individual variation and/or wear. Two subspecies were recognized.
Subspecies
Monotypic.
Distribution
SW, S & E India and E Nepal through S China and SE Asia to Indochina, except the Malay Peninsula; Andamans, Nicobars and the Mergui Archipelago.
Habitat
Evergreen forest, moist and dry deciduous woodlands, secondary growth, abandoned cultivated land, bamboo thickets, forest edge, orchards, tall scrub, and beach-strand woodland particularly with mature casuarinas; up to 1800 m in Nilgiris.
Movement
India is subject to poorly understood local migrations, being a rains visitor in certain parts and a winter visitor in others.
Vernal Hanging-Parrot Food
Soft pulp of fruits and berries, chiefly figs (Ficus), largely supplemented by flower nectar, notably Erythrina, eucalypts, mistletoes, and Somalia malabarica;
also seeds of Casuarina, Tectona grandis, and bamboo. Can damage local crops of guavas (Psidium) and loquats (Eriobotrya japonica).
Sounds and Vocal Behavior
The commonest vocalizations of Vernal Hanging-Parrot are a high-pitched buzzy doubled “tzeet…tzeet” and a fast triple-noted “tzee-zee-zeet”. When perched, utters similar-sounding twitters and short squeaky warbles. Also high-pitched “see” notes and combinations thereof.
Vernal hanging parrot call
SOURCE: Indian Bird Videos
Breeding
Jan–Apr; in Andamans chiefly Jan–Feb. Nest in a natural hollow in a rotten tree stem or branch. Eggs 2–4; in captivity, incubation lasts 22 days, nestling period around 5 weeks.
Vernal Hanging Parrot (Male) Video
SOURCE: Shrikant Kelkar
Conservation Status
Not globally threatened. CITES II. Very common on Andaman and Nicobar Is, reasonably so in S Thailand (common in Khao Yai National Park in NC). Common in Cambodia, around 1930. Extremely rare in China.
