Layard's parakeet

Layard's parakeet or the emerald-collared parakeet, is a parrot which is a resident endemic breeder in Sri Lanka. The common name of this bird commemorates the British naturalist Edgar Leopold Layard; his first wife, Barbara Anne Calthrop, whom he married in 1845, is commemorated in the specific epithet.

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Distribution

Region

South Asia

Typical Environment

Endemic to Sri Lanka’s wet and intermediate zones, this parakeet is most common in lowland and submontane evergreen forests and forest edges. It readily uses adjacent cultivations, home gardens, and coconut or rubber plantations where large trees remain. It favors mosaic landscapes with tall nesting trees and fruiting resources. In the dry zone it is scarcer and mostly tied to riverine or evergreen patches.

Altitude Range

Sea level to 1600 m

Climate Zone

Tropical

Characteristics

Size28–32 cm

Wing Span35–40 cm

Male Weight0.07 kg

Female Weight0.065 kg

Life Expectancy12 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

Layard's parakeet, also called the emerald-collared parakeet, is a Sri Lankan endemic that frequents forest edges, plantations, and large gardens. It was named in honor of the British naturalist Edgar Leopold Layard, while the specific epithet commemorates his wife. Flocks can be quite vocal around fruiting trees and are sometimes locally affected by trapping and habitat loss.

Gallery

Behaviour

Temperament

social and active

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats with swift, direct flight

Social Behavior

Usually seen in small flocks or pairs, gathering at fruiting trees and roosting communally. Nests in cavities of mature trees, often reusing natural holes or old woodpecker nests. Pairs maintain close contact calls while foraging and show strong site fidelity in suitable habitat.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

Vocalizations are sharp, ringing screeches and chattering calls, especially in flight. At rest it gives softer, repetitive notes used to keep contact within the flock.

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Identification

Comb Type

Plumage Description

Feather Color

Leg Color

Earlobe Color

Eye Color

Feeding Habits

Diet

Preferred Environment

Requires Supplement

Population

Conservation Status

Species Status

Wild Population

Total Known Population

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