Red-breasted Parakeet

The red-breasted parakeet is a long-tailed green parrot 33–40 cm long and weighing roughly 100–130 g. Adults have a grey to violet-grey head, black moustachial stripe and a salmon-pink breast, while a greenish-yellow band separates the breast from the abdomen. Males have a red upper mandible with a yellow tip; females have an entirely dark bill and usually a duller breast. The pointed central tail feathers and broad facial stripe are useful field marks (World Parrot Trust; Australian Government species profile).

Across its range from northern India through mainland Southeast Asia and southern China to western Indonesia, it occupies forest, secondary growth, mangroves, plantations, orchards, parks and wooded farmland. Flocks eat figs, other fruit, seeds, flowers, nectar, buds and cultivated grain, gathering at communal roosts outside the breeding season. Pairs nest in natural tree cavities or holes previously made by woodpeckers or barbets, laying two to four eggs (World Parrot Trust; Forktail parakeet nesting study).