We all know and have perhaps also seen bats roosting upside down on trees, Bat have neither the kind of wings that birds do nor powerful enough hind legs to help them run before taking off. So hanging upside down puts them in the best position to take off into the air without great effort. But did you know there’s a type of bird that rests and sleeps upside down? Welcome to the world of hanging parrots.
An unusual ability
There are more than 10 species of hanging parrots, and they get their name for their ability to roost (rest and sleep) upside down. This ability is seen as being unique to these birds. In fact studies suggest that some of them even bathe in the rain hanging upside down! Across species, the hanging parrots are usually small birds with short tails. It is assumed that since they’re tiny birds, hanging among leaves helps them hide from predators.
India hosts one species of the hanging parrot – the vernal hanging parrot (Loriculus vemalis) – belonging to Psittacidae, the family of true parrots. It is found in neighbouring regions such as Myanmar and Thailand too. Also known as the Indian lorikeet it is a green-grass coloured bird – about the size of a sparrow – with a bright red rump. While the male has a bright blue patch on the throat this is minimal or missing in the female.
Did you know?
There’s another bird too known for its upside down behaviour. The short-tailed nuthatch has the ability to walk down tree branches as well as hang upside down from branches to gain access to nooks with insects or seeds. But the difference is that the nuthatch does not hang upside down while roosting.
Picture Credit : Google
