How do you identify a Layard's Parakeet?

Layard's parakeet is a green parrot, 29 cm (11 in) long including a tail up to 13 cm (5.1 in). Full identification notes are on this page.

Where can you see a Layard's Parakeet?

The Layard's Parakeet is endemic to Sri Lanka, which is the only country where it occurs.

What birds look similar to a Layard's Parakeet?

The Layard's Parakeet is most easily confused with the Blossom-headed Parakeet, the Grey-headed Parakeet and the Echo Parakeet.

Is the Layard's Parakeet endangered?

The Layard's Parakeet is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Layard's Parakeet

Psittacula calthrapae

Old World Parrots · Psittaciformes · Rare

The Layard's Parakeet (Psittacula calthrapae) is a rare old world parrot found only in Sri Lanka. Layard's parakeet or the emerald-collared parakeet, is a parrot which is a resident endemic breeder in Sri Lanka.

Least ConcernRareEndemic

Layard's Parakeet (Psittacula calthrapae), photo 1 — Photo: Mickey Wu · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Layard's Parakeet (Psittacula calthrapae), photo 2 — Photo: Mickey Wu · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Layard's Parakeet (Psittacula calthrapae), photo 3 — Photo: Mickey Wu · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Layard's Parakeet (Psittacula calthrapae), photo 4 — Photo: Mickey Wu · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Layard's Parakeet (Psittacula calthrapae), photo 5 — Photo: Mickey Wu · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Layard's Parakeet (Psittacula calthrapae), photo 6 — Photo: Mickey Wu · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Layard's Parakeet (Psittacula calthrapae), photo 7 — Photo: Mickey Wu · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Layard's Parakeet (Psittacula calthrapae), photo 8 — Photo: Mickey Wu · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Layard's Parakeet (Psittacula calthrapae), photo 9 — Photo: Mickey Wu · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Layard's Parakeet (Psittacula calthrapae), photo 10 — Photo: Mickey Wu · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

About the 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.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

How to identify it

Layard's parakeet is a green parrot, 29 cm (11 in) long including a tail up to 13 cm (5.1 in). The adult has a bluish-grey head and back, separated by a green collar. There is a broad black chin stripe and the tail is blue tipped yellow. The upper mandible of the male's bill is red and the lower mandible is brown. The female is similar, but has an all black beak and less green on the face than the male. Immature birds are mainly green, with an orange bill.

Where it lives

Sri Lanka

When to see it

Best months: January, February, March, April, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in January. It is a resident species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

How do you identify a Layard's Parakeet?: Layard's parakeet is a green parrot, 29 cm (11 in) long including a tail up to 13 cm (5.1 in). Full identification notes are on this page.
Where can you see a Layard's Parakeet?: The Layard's Parakeet is endemic to Sri Lanka, which is the only country where it occurs.
What birds look similar to a Layard's Parakeet?: The Layard's Parakeet is most easily confused with the Blossom-headed Parakeet, the Grey-headed Parakeet and the Echo Parakeet.
Is the Layard's Parakeet endangered?: The Layard's Parakeet is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Layard's Parakeet for real

BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.

Play BeakBrain

Every photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.