Australian King Parrot
Australian King Parrot, Ravenshoe, February 2022
An absolutely stunning bird. It is the only endemic parrot with a red head…… or should I say the male is. With the male the upper bill is red with a black tip. The eyes are also red and the tail blue/black.
Australian King Parrot, Ravenshoe, February 2022
The female has a mostly green head, breast and upperparts . The belly and underparts are red. The bill is a brownish red.
Australian King Parrot, Ravenshoe, February 2022
Both the male and female have a green back and wings. The brownish area on the throat of this bird I think means it is immature.
Australian King Parrot, Ravenshoe, February 2022
They are found in heavily timbered areas. In winter they head to the coastal area, returning to the highlands in summer to breed. They are usually found in pairs or family groups as these were.
They feed on native fruits, nuts , nectar and blossom in the outer foliage. They sometimes come to the ground to feed on fallen fruits and seeds.