A comparison of population abundance of the rose-ringed parakeet, Psittacula krameri, in the two roosts of central Punjab, Pakistan

Studies to ascertain the population abundance of the rose-ringed parakeet, Psittacula krameri, in the plantations of two metropolis viz. Faisalabad and Chakwal, for five months, January through May, 2005, provide information that in the roost I, in January, 2005, number of departing parakeets in the early morning and late afternoon hours, three hours each, showed that 104 plus minus 3.44 SE, the number returning was fairly low, 44 plus minus 1.08; in the afternoon, the number departing was 45 plus minus 1.21, returning to the roost was 142 plus minus 3.77. In February, for similar time durations, the departing and arriving parakeets in the morning were 89 plus minus 2.68 and 34 plus minus 0.60, whereas in the afternoon, they were 21 plus minus 0.77; 181 plus minus 4.79. For March, the number recorded was 141 plus minus 4.10 and 23 plus minus 0.73 and for afternoon 27 plus minus 3.11, and 156 plus minus 4.57. Similarly, in April and May, the nu mber leaving in the morning were 86 plus minus 2.80; 131 plus minus 4.75, while returning were 38 plus minus 1.18; 26 plus minus 0.78. For the afternoon, the arriving parakeets in roost I were 143 plus minus 4.21 and 138 plus minus 5.21, respectively. Observations in roost II, made in the same months, depict that the number of parakeets leaving the roost in the early morning hours were 66 plus minus 1.72, 11 plus minus 0.43, 88 plus minus 2.55 plus minus 25 plus minus 0.70, 155 plus minus 4.27, 14 plus minus 0.5575 plus minus 3.26, 19 plus minus 1.51 and 84 plus minus 2.71, 31 plus minus 1.23, respectively. The number returning to the roost for similar monthly samples were 17 plus minus 0.58, 26 plus minus 0.99, 14 plus minus 0.51, 138 plus minus 4.26, 55 plus minus 1.38, 168 plus minus 5.07, 7 plus minus 0.29, 146 plus minus 11.2 and 10 plus minus 1.99, 207 plus minus 5.32, respectively. Findings of the present studies suggest that there seemed an enhanced activity of the p a rakeets in the early morning hours following the nightly rest. Certain trees species like Salmalia malabarica, Dalbergia sissoo, Terminalia arjuna, Ficus bengalensis and Eucalyptus spp. are being used by the parakeets year after year, thus, more or less establishing permanent roosting sites to perform different diurnal activities viz. foraging and perching on temporary roosts, to find appropriate cover, to carry out courtship displays and moreover, to locate for the suitable breeding sites. Roost I, being larger in its dimensions, harbored more parakeets and as such, to perform the diurnal activities to a maximum.