Description
It is of medium size (32 cm), basically green with yellowish edging to the wings, a blue rump, and blue wing bends. The head, mantle, wings and tail are darker green, the belly and collar are lighter green. It is sexually dimorphic, with the male having a red beak and the female a pale yellow or horn colored beak. There are six subspecies:
- T. s. sumatranus: Sulawesi and nearby islands. Yellow iris.
- T. s. sangirensis: Sangir Islands and Karakelong. More blue on wing bends and wing coverts, head darker green. Yellow iris.
- T. s. burbidgii: Sulu Islands. Darker green with lighter collar. Yellow iris.
- T. s. everetti: Panay, Negros, Leyte, Samar, Mindanao. Mantle and back darker, rump and head lighter. Some blue in mantle. Red iris.
- T. s. duponti: Luzon. Dark green with yellow collar. Yellowish underwing coverts. Iris red.
- T. s. freeri: Polillo Islands. More uniform color with less contrast, more yellow on nape. Iris red.
- Illustrations
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T. s. everetti
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T. s. burbidgii
Read more about this topic: Blue-backed Parrot
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