CHARACTERISTICS AND BEHAVIOR

As one can glean from its name, the main identifying marker of the bluenaped parrot is the light blue coloring on its rear crown and head―in contrast to its green body washed with blue on its back, red beak, median wing coverts tinged with yellow and orange, and blackish underwings. It is a mediumsized bird, with an average size of 31 cm and weight range of 200-230 g. There are three recognized subspecies, each marked by slight deviations in color. T.l. lucionensis, native to Luzon, Mindoro, and other northern Philippine islands, bears the typical color markings. Found in Polillo and other islands in the Luzon grouping, T.l. hybridus’s rear crown is green, the back of its head colored a lighter shade of blue tinged with violet. T.l. talautensis lacks the blue markings on its back. Blue-naped parrots travel in flocks of a dozen birds or less, and― according to the World Parrot Trust― are “often found in the company of Golden-mantled Racquet-tails.” The flock shares a communal roost, and takes dawn and dusk flights between the roosting and feeding areas. Their diet consists of nuts, seeds, berries, and grain (if residing in farmland or other similar habitats). Breeding season occurs from April to June, with the parrots making a nest in a tree hole to lay their eggs. Each clutch consists of two or three eggs, broadly elliptical in shape and with an average size of 38.5 x 27 millimeters.