Slaty-headed Parakeet    Psittacula himalayana

Etymology:

• Psittacula : Latin word derived from  psittacus – Parrot
• Himalayana: From Himalayas

Vernacular Names:  Kash: Tota, Shoga, Pun: Paharitota, U.P:Paharituinya, Ben: Gagi, Paharitota, Paharimadna, Nepal: Madanasuga

Distribution in India: Resident of Himalayas in India.

Description: Size of 39–41 cm. The upper mandible is red tipped and yellow, lower mandible is yellow. The head is slate grey with black half-collar from chin and throat up to the sides of neck. The body is yellowish green, tinged bluish on upperparts. The wings are green with maroon patch on lesser wing-coverts; tail is green basally shading through blue to yellow distally. Both the sexes look similar. The Immature is green with cheeks brownish, bill greyish.

Habitat: It is found in subtropical coniferous and deciduous woodlands, and cultivated areas. It is found from 600 m to 1500 m.

Food habits: It eats berries, acorns, seeds, flowers and pods. It raids in flocks, the walnut, apple and pear orchards, and cornfields.

Breeding habits: They breed in Mar–Jul. They use the abandoned holes in trees to nest, usually that of Woodpeckers. They lay a clutch of 3–5 eggs. The incubation period is 24 days and nestling period is 40 days.