The natural range of the Slaty-headed Parakeet extends from Himalayas; from eastern Afghanistan and northern Pakistan east through northern India and Nepal to Bhutan, Arunachal Pradesh and northern Assam. They migrate down to the valleys for the winters, usually during the last week of October.
The slaty-headed parakeet are about 40 cm in length. Slatyheads are bigger than Plumheads. The hens are slightly smaller than the cock, the body approximately the same size as that of an Eastern Rosella.
A variety of mutations have been produced, including blue, olive, lutino & albino.
The original (natural) slaty-headed parakeet has a mostly green plumage. The head, however, is dark grey with a slight bluish hue, There are black stripes to the cheeks and a narrow band to nape, with an adjoining bluish-green band. There is a dark red patch to the wing-coverts. The under wing-coverts are greenish-blue. The middle tail-feathers are blue with a green base and yellow tips. The upper beak is red with a yellow tip. The lower beak is yellowish. The irises are whitish and the feet grey.
Females are either without or with a greatly reduced dark red patch to the wing-coverts.
Immatures have greenish head and brownish-green cheeks. There is a narrow green band to the nape. The upper and lower beaks are horn-colored with a brownish base to the lower beak. They attain their adult plumage when they are about 30 months old.
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