Australian King Parrot

Overview

The Australian king parrot (Alisterus scapularis) is a species of parrot endemic to eastern Australia. It ranges from Cooktown in Queensland to Port Campbell in Victoria and is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Size: Approximately 43 cm (17 in) in length, including a long, broad tail; the northern subspecies is typically about 5 cm smaller.
• Male plumage: Features a red head, breast, and lower undersides, a blue band on the back of the neck, green wings with a pale green shoulder band, a green tail, and a blue rump.
• Female plumage: Has a green head and breast, a grey beak, and a small or absent pale shoulder band.
• Beak: Males possess a reddish-orange upper mandible with a black tip and a black lower mandible with an orange base; juveniles have yellowish beaks.

Habitat

Found in humid, heavily forested upland regions of eastern Australia, including eucalyptus wooded areas in and adjacent to subtropical and temperate rainforest. They are also occasionally seen in Canberra during winter, the outer western and northern suburbs of Sydney, and Carnarvon Gorge in central Queensland.

Diet

They feed on fruits and seeds gathered from trees or on the ground. In captivity, they tend to be selective, preferring black sunflower seeds and avoiding small seeds found in pre-packaged retail bags.

Did you know?

Rare individuals lacking melanin appear orange to yellow rather than the common scarlet and green, which can make them look strikingly different from the standard variety.