The yellow-throated hanging parrot is a small species of parrot in the family Psittaculidae. It is endemic to the Indonesian islands of Java and Bali. It is found in forest and adjacent habitats. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Region
Sunda Islands (Java and Bali)
Typical Environment
Inhabits primary and secondary evergreen forest, forest edges, and adjacent cultivated landscapes including orchards and plantations. It favors the canopy and subcanopy, moving between flowering and fruiting trees. The species can persist in fragmented habitats if large trees remain, but declines where extensive clearing removes nest sites. It also visits village gardens and wooded ravines when food is abundant.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
This tiny parrot often roosts and rests upside down like a bat, a hallmark of hanging parrots. It feeds quietly high in the canopy and is easily overlooked despite its bright colors. Habitat loss and trapping pressure have reduced local numbers on Java and Bali. Protecting lowland forests and mature trees with nesting cavities is key to its survival.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small, loose flocks that forage high in the canopy. Nests in natural cavities or soft, decayed wood, with the female preparing the chamber and carrying nesting material tucked in her feathers. Pairs maintain close contact calls while foraging and roost upside down communally in safe foliage.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
High, thin tinkling and squeaky notes delivered in short bursts, often while in swift flight between trees. Contact calls are sharp and metallic; foraging birds give soft chittering as they move among blossoms.
Plumage
Compact, predominantly bright green plumage with a distinct yellow throat and clean, sleek feathering. Subtle bluish tones on the flight feathers and tail, with small red accents on the crown or rump in some individuals. Underparts are lighter green; tail is short and slightly graduated.
Diet
Feeds mainly on soft fruits such as figs and berries, as well as nectar and pollen from flowering trees. Also takes tender buds and occasionally soft seeds. It follows seasonal flowering and fruiting, shifting locally to track resources. Foraging is careful and deliberate, often hanging acrobatically to reach blossoms.
Preferred Environment
Primarily the upper canopy and edges of lowland and foothill forest. Frequently visits flowering plantation trees and village gardens when in bloom. Uses fruiting figs and other keystone trees as core feeding sites.
