Philippine hanging parrot

The Philippine hanging parrot, affectionately known as the colasisi, is a charming little bird indigenous to the Philippines. This small parrot belongs to the family Psittaculidae and is represented by about eleven different subspecies. They are primarily green, but you’ll also find hues of red, orange, yellow, and blue depending on the subspecies. Males typically feature a distinctive red patch on their fronts, except for those from Camiguin.

These birds are diminutive, measuring around 14 cm in length and weighing between 32 and 40 grams. They have a short, rounded tail and exhibit sexual dimorphism—males possess red markings on their chins or upper chests. The classification of these subspecies remains somewhat ambiguous, with some like Loriculus (philippensis) bonapartei possibly being reclassified in the future.

You can spot these parrots in various habitats across the Philippines, except for the Sulu Archipelago and parts of Palawan. They thrive in tropical and bamboo forests and are adaptable enough to live in human-modified areas, such as coconut groves. These birds forage for nectar, flowers, and soft fruits, typically staying in the canopy or middle layers of the forest.

The breeding season for the Philippine hanging parrot runs from March to May, and they prefer nesting in tree holes. Females have a unique way of transporting nesting material—they tuck it into their feathers! In captivity, a typical clutch consists of three eggs, which hatch after about 20 days. The chicks are ready to fledge roughly 35 days later.

There's still much we don't know about these birds, particularly regarding the classification of certain subspecies like Loriculus (philippensis) camiguinensis and Loriculus (philippensis) bonapartei. More research is necessary to resolve these uncertainties.