Green Racquet-tail

This is a species of an all green parrot found only in the lowland forests of Luzon. The tail has two central tail feathers that end with racquets. They are sexually dimorphic. Males are entirely yellow-green, with paler underparts and head. The two central tail feathers are elongated with bare shafts and terminated with black rackets. Females are generally darker and less yellowish, while the bare tail shafts are shorter. Juveniles do not have rackets at the tail. It is the smallest of all the racquet-tails with a total length of about 29 centimetres (11 in). This species is monotypic.

Green racket-tails can be found in the canopy of tropical lowland rainforests in elevations of up to 700 metres (2,300 ft) where it mainly prefers primary forest but is also seen in secondary forest and forest. They have also been recorded visiting cultivations to feed on crops. It is listed as Endangered with the population estimated at 300 - 800 mature individuals remaining, as of 2024. It has gone locally extinct in many of its former sites and is feared extinct on Marinduque. Its main threat is trapping for the cage-bird trade. Local extinctions as a direct result of forest loss are very likely. In 1988, forest cover was just 3% on Marinduque and 24% on Luzon with the remaining forest continuing to be threatened by both legal and illegal logging. mining, road construction, slash-and-burn or kaingin. In its stronghold in Subic has experienced increased illegal logging and deforestation continues in Maria Aurora Memorial Natural Park. Interspecific competition is also a threat as they have been replaced by the commoner Blue-crowned racket-tail in Quezon National Forest Park. It is currently known from two protected areas Bataan National Park and the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park. It receives nominal protection in the Maria Aurora Memorial Natural Park. …

Feeds on fruit, particularly bananas, flowers and seeds of growing corn, and rice. Like all other Racket-tails, they are cavity nesters. According to poachers, chicks are often poached in the month of May.