Hundreds of rare blossom-headed parakeets silhouetted against sunset in SW China’s Yunnan

A photographer recently spotted hundreds of blossom-headed parakeets, a national second-class protected animal, in Ruili city in Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Yunnan Province. The silhouettes of the blossom-headed parakeets against the sunset brought a feeling of gentle beauty.

At 26-36 centimeters long and weighing 85-90 grams, the blossom-headed parakeet is a scansorial bird. Its diet includes nuts, berries, weeds, and seeds. The species has a wide distribution in various countries such as China, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The species is known to be distributed in provinces and regions such as Yunnan, Guangdong, and Guangxi. However, the bird has been disappearing for nearly a decade, and was previously thought to no longer exist in China. In April 2015, the species was proven to be still living in China when a photographer spotted several birds breeding in Yingjiang County in Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture.

In recent years, places like Yingjiang County, Ruili, and Mangshi have had sightings of blossom-headed parakeets, and these regions have also seen the largest number of the species’ appearances. 

Photo shows hundreds of blossom-headed parakeets in Ruili city, southwest China’s Yunnan Province. (Photo/Zhu Bianyong)