Blue-crowned hanging parrot facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blue-crowned hanging parrot |
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| Male, Singapore | |
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| Female, Singapore | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Loriculus
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| Species: |
galgulus
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| Synonyms | |
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Psittacus galgulus Linnaeus, 1758 |
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The blue-crowned hanging parrot (Loriculus galgulus) is a small parrot found in parts of Southeast Asia. These birds live in southern Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia (like Sumatra, Java, and Borneo). They are about 12 centimeters (5 inches) tall and weigh around 28 grams (1 ounce). They can live for about 14 years. You can spot them by their bright green feathers, black beak, and a special blue patch on their head that looks like a crown.
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What Do Blue-Crowned Hanging Parrots Look Like?
Blue-crowned hanging parrots have mostly green feathers. Adult birds have black beaks. Males and females look a bit different, which is called sexual dimorphism.
Male vs. Female Parrots
Adult males have a clear blue "crown" patch on their head. They also have a red mark on their throat and a red patch on their lower back, with some yellow feathers below it. Females are a duller green. They usually don't have the red throat mark. Their blue crown is either very faint or missing. They also don't have the yellow feathers on their lower back.
Young Parrots
Young parrots, called juveniles, are a duller green. They have little to no blue crown. Their beaks are also lighter in color.
How Do They Communicate?
When these parrots fly, they make loud, squeaky calls. If they are flying in a group, their calls sound fast and ringing. When they are looking for food, they make shrill, two-part calls.
Where Do Blue-Crowned Hanging Parrots Live?
These parrots live across southern Thailand, western Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, Borneo, and other nearby islands. They make their homes in many places. This includes forests, forest edges, swamps, and areas near rivers. They also live in bamboo patches, mangrove forests, gardens with trees, and even coconut farms.
Usually, only one type of Loriculus parrot lives in an area. This is because they compete for food and space. However, Sulawesi is the only place where you can find more than one Loriculus species.
Amazing Parrot Behaviors
Blue-crowned hanging parrots can be seen alone, in pairs, or in large groups of up to 150 birds. They often stay high up in the trees. During mating season, pairs stay together. The male will chase away any other male that comes too close.
Sleeping Upside Down
One very special thing about these parrots is how they sleep. They hang upside down from tree branches! They climb or fly up tall trees. Then, they hang by one or both feet. They fluff up their feathers and tuck their head and neck into their body. This strange sleeping position helps them stay safe from predators at night. Their green feathers and hanging position make them look like leaves. This helps them blend in with the trees. This behavior likely developed from their ancient relatives.
Young or sick birds cannot hang upside down. They sleep sitting upright on a branch. They turn their head to one side and tuck it into their back feathers. Young birds quickly learn how to hang as they grow up.
How They Find a Mate
Blue-crowned hanging parrots form pairs from January to July for breeding. To attract a female, the male will "strut." He fluffs up his red rump, tail feathers, and red throat feathers. He stands tall, spreads his tail, and bobs his head. He runs across a branch with his wings low. He makes soft "jeet jeet" calls. He shows off his red and gold back to nearby females.
If a female is not interested, she might chase him away or ignore him. If she likes him, she will encourage him. She might even accept food from him. The male will bring up food from his stomach and offer it to the female. This is called courtship feeding. If she accepts, they will stay close together. This helps them form a strong bond.
Building Nests and Raising Chicks
These parrots carry nesting materials like bark and leaves in their feathers. They tuck them in with their beaks. They build their nests in natural holes in trees. The female parrot lays eggs and sits on them for about 20 days. This is called incubation. A female can lay up to 4 eggs at a time. The baby parrots, called chicks, leave the nest about 33 days after they hatch.
What Do They Eat?
Hanging parrots mainly eat fruits in the wild, like papaya and rambutan. They also eat palm oil nuts, seeds, nectar, and fresh flowers. They have different ways of eating. Young birds often use their beaks to nibble off pieces of food while sitting on a branch. They quickly flick their heads to remove the fruit pulp after drinking the juice.
Adult parrots use their feet or beaks to carry food. They often eat away from the main food source. They might carry the food to a perch. They can hold the food with their foot and bring it to their beak. Or, they can hold the food between their claws on the branch and lower their head to eat.
Parrots and People
In the Riau province, these parrots are often called Serindit Melayu. People commonly keep them as pets. The blue-crowned hanging parrot is important to the plants and identity of Riau. Its name is used in "Hulu Keris," a special symbol of the province. This symbol is part of traditional clothing and stands for courage, wisdom, truth, and justice.
In Riau stories about animals, the hanging parrot is called Panglima Hijau. In Malay literature, the blue-crowned hanging parrot often represents love. It is seen as a "love-bird." It is also often mentioned in poems and rhymes. Sometimes, it is used in special traditional activities.
Images for kids
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Male blue-crowned hanging parrot
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Female blue-crowned hanging parrot
