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Long-tailed Parakeet picking Alexandra Palm flowers

on 13th October 2015

One evening in May 2015 I noticed a single Long-tailed Parakeet (Psittacula longicauda) among the inflorescence branches of one of my Alexandra Palms (Ptycospermun macarthuri).

I did document a small flock of these noisy parakeets landing on the inflorescence and picking the female flowers way back in 2008 (see image above) and this LINK. But this time I caught a single parakeet on video (below) quietly scrambling all over the many branches of the inflorescence, sometimes using its curved bill to pull itself upwards. At the same time it was picking the female flowers one by one, manipulating each between its mandibles to discard the floral parts. Obviously it was after the flower nectar.

YC Wee
Singapore
October 2015

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

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