Psittacula intermedia [Rothschild 1895]

Intermediate Parakeet

Psittacula intermedia (Rothschild 1895)

Description: Green; breast, abdomen and under tail-coverts yellowish-green; head slaty-purple bordered below by broad black cheek-stripe becoming narrow band across nape; forehead, lores and eye area with pronounced pink-purple tinge; nape with faint bluish-green tinge; reddish-brown patch to wing-coverts; under wing-coverts bluish-green; upperside of tail feathers purple with yellowish-white tips, underside yellow; upper mandible redish with yellow tip, lower mandible yellowish; iris whitish; feet grey.

Hen without or with greatly reduced dark red patch to wing-coverts; head slaty with reduced pink-purple.

Immatures undescribed.

Length: 36 cm, wing length 151 - 160 mm, tail length 167 - 195 mm.

Distribution: Believed to be in localities in Himalaya region of Northern India.

Note: Psittacula intermedia regarded by many taxonomists and authors to be hybrid of Slaty-headed Parakeet (Psittacula himalayana) and Plum-headed Parakeet (Psittacula cyanocephala). However it has been discovered that hybrids between these two subspecies differ considerably from Psittacula intermedia; specimens caught on the plain of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and described in literature as Psittacula intermedia do not probably belong to this subspecies.
It has been proven that the Psittacula intermedia is a specie of the Psitacula Genus and not a hybrid of Slaty-headed Parakeet (Psittacula himalayana) and Plum-headed Parakeet (Psittacula cyanocephala). The photographs show the real specie. Compare the hybrid with the specie. Note the dark lower mandible, which is the most important characteristic for hybrids of Slaty-headed Parakeet (Psittacula himalayana) and Plum-headed Parakeet (Psittacula cyanocephala).

Habitat: Probably forest between 650 m and 3,800 m; in localities also down to 250 m; dry bushland; secondary forest; regularly raids fruit plantations and rice fields.

Status: Common in localities.

Behaviour: In small groups of 4 to 6 birds outside breeding season; gathers in evening in larger flocks; in some regions seasonal migration between latitudes; in winter flocks withdraw to lower latitudes; in some localities associates with Plum-headed Parakeets (Psittacula cyanocephala), Slaty-headed Parakeet (Psittacula himalayana) and Ring-necked (Psittacula krameri); flight swift and straight.

Call: Call high-pitched screeching; melodious chattering; much softer than the Slatyh-headed Parakeet (Psittacula himalayana).

Natural diet: Seeds, nuts, fruits, berries, flowers and leaf buds; causes considerable damage to walnut, apple and peach orchards; observed picking up grit from dried-up river-bed.

Nesting: Unknown.

Aviculture: Medium-noisy parakeet; active; acclimatise newly imported birds carefully; initially shy; not hard chewer.

Accommodation: Outside flight 3 x 1 x 2 m with adjoining inside area; during acclimatisation period 20°C.

Diet: Seed mix of sunflower, safflower, wild bird food, buckwheat, various millets, canary seed, oats and hemp; millet spray (also sprouted); fruit (apple, berries, orange), greenfood (dandelion, flowers, chickweed) and vegetables (rose-hips, half-ripe maize, carrot, sweet pepper, cucumber); eggfood and biscuit for rearing; provide immatures with regular vitamin C supplement during first year.

Clutch: Unknown; probably 4 - 5 eggs.

Incubation: Unknown; probably 24 days.

Breeding: Unknown.