The Sri Lanka hanging parrot is a small parrot which is a resident endemic breeder in Sri Lanka.
Region
Sri Lanka
Typical Environment
Found widely in the island’s wet and intermediate zones, from lowland rainforests to foothill and hill forests. It favors canopy and edge habitats, including forest edges, secondary growth, gardens, and spice and coconut plantations. It is scarcer in the dry zone and avoids open, treeless areas. Nests are placed in natural cavities or old woodpecker holes.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2000 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
This tiny parrot roosts and often feeds while hanging upside down, which is how the group gets its name. It commonly tucks strips of leaves into its rump feathers to carry nesting material. Pairs are frequently seen flitting through the canopy with rapid, buzzy calls. It is strictly a Sri Lankan species and does not naturally occur elsewhere.
Sri Lanka hanging parrot at Sinharaja Forest Reserve, Sri Lanka
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small, noisy parties in the canopy. It nests in tree cavities and lines the nest chamber with fresh leaves carried tucked into the feathers. Pairs maintain close contact with soft calls while foraging and may join mixed frugivore flocks at fruiting trees.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Calls are high-pitched, thin, and buzzy, often given in rapid series during flight. At close range it emits soft chattering and squeaks, especially around feeding and nesting sites.
Plumage
Compact, short-tailed parrot with mostly bright green plumage and a smooth, glossy texture. The crown/forehead and rump show vivid orange-red tones, with a small bluish wash on the chin or throat. Underparts are green with warmer tones toward the vent and undertail coverts. Bill is red and stout; tail is short and square-ended.
Diet
Feeds mainly on soft fruits such as figs and guava, as well as berries and flower buds. It also takes nectar from flowering trees, sometimes visiting gardens and plantations. Foraging is mostly in the upper canopy, often hanging acrobatically to reach fruit and blossoms.
Preferred Environment
Canopy and subcanopy of lowland and hill rainforests, forest edges, and well-treed gardens. Frequently visits flowering and fruiting trees in plantations and village groves.
