Grass Parrots

BrokenWing Chronicles
Grass Parrots

There are many different mutations that fall into the catagory
I hope you enjoy my chronicles on the beautiful Grass Parrots.
Neophema Grass parrots
Turquoisine, Scarlet-chested, Blue-winged, Rock Parrots, Orange-bellied Parrots, and Bourke's.
Psephotus Grass Parrots
Red-rumped, Mulga, Blue-bonnet, Hooded, and Golden-shouldered Parrot.

DESCRIPTION
Turquoisine
(Neophema pulchella)
About 8 inches long the Turquoisine Grass Parrot has a blue head and wings red wing bars, green upper parts and bright yellow under parts. The female Turquoisine Grass Parrot is not so brightly coloured as the males and have no wing bars

HABITAT

Is the forested eastern areas of Australia ( S.E. Queensland - N. Central Victoria) where the rainfall is high. The Turquoisine Grass Parrot favours the edges of woodlands beside open grass pastures. These "woodlands" maybe a timbered ridges or tree lined creeks. Due to loss of Habitat and subsequent numbers the Turquoisine Grass Parrot is fully protected by law in Australia, though it is not classified as being close to extinction

BEHAVOIUR

click for info on photo Usually seen in pairs or small groups, though occassionally a flock of 30-40 have been sighted. In flight though swift the Turquoisine Grass Parrot direction is erratic and "fluttery". Turquoisine Grass Parrots have 2 main types of calls, one for contact (usually in flight) a soft metallic type note which is very penetrating, and a weak high pitch tweeting when feeding

FEEDING

During the day Turquoisine Grass Parrot search for seeds ( grasses, vegetable matter) on the ground, taking a break though to sit quietly in the trees during the hottest part of the day (noon to mid-afternoon). When foraging for seed Turquoisine Grass Parrots are fairly tame and will allow a close approach, but if they feel threatened they will flutter a short distance away or up into some tree branches. They prefer to feed in the shadow of trees. These Parrots only need to drink once a day and usually do this just before dawn.
The Female

Orange-bellied Parrot
Neophema chrysogaster

The Orange-bellied Parrot is a small 'grass parrot' of coastal south-eastern Australia. It is one of six species of the genus Neophema.

Three related 'grass parrots' (Rock, Blue-winged and Elegant) also occur in these coastal areas and may be mistaken for the species. They are olive-green in colour and may have orange on their abdomens, but none have the grass-green plumage, the distinctive alarm call, and the bright orange patch of the Orange-bellied Parrot.

The Orange-bellied Parrot was formerly more abundant and widespread than it is now. It ranged from Yorke Peninsula in South Australia, along the coasts to Bruny Island in southern Tasmania, and to Sydney, New South Wales.

The species' current breeding range is a narrow coastal strip of south-west Tasmania. Most adults depart the breeding range in February, leaving juveniles to follow in March and April. Adults first reach Victoria in late March and disperse east as far as coastal South Gippsland, and as far west as Lake Alexandrina in South Australia, by April.

Most of the population over-winters in saltmarsh habitat in central Victoria while the remainder moves west to the coast of South Australia. In September, the first adults leave the Australian mainland for Tasmania, with the last birds departed by November.

In Victoria, up to 70% of the entire population concentrates at three wintering sites around Port Phillip Bay and the Bellarine Peninsula.

According to the Action Plan for Australian Birds 2000, the Orange-bellied Parrot is critically endangered with approximately 180 mature birds remaining in the wild.

Scarlet-chested Parrot
Neophema splendida
Colourization Adult: Male- bright green upperparts; bright blue face; scarlet foreneck and centre of breast, separated from orange/yellow lower underparts and undertail; bright blue upper wing coverts; green central tail feathers. Bill black. Eye brown/grey. Female-blue on face paler; blue lores; green breast; pale blue upper wing coverts; varying presence of pale underwing stripe. Bill dark grey.

Colourization Juvenile: As in adult female with varying presence of pale underwing stripe.

Call: Calls made in flight are soft, two-syllable notes. In repetition these sound like chirrups. Birds in flock produce soft, continuous twittering. Emits clear, sharper whistle when alarmed.

Other Names
Splendid Parrot, Splendid Grass Parrot

Size
18 - 21cm

Environment
open eucalypt woodland, mallee, mulga scrub, spinifex and saltbush heaths with some taller shrubs and trees

Food
seeds, fruits, flowers

Breeding
nests in hollow in mallee or mulga, from quite low to 8m above ground. Lays 3 - 5 white oval eggs.

Range
inland southern parts of Western Australia and South Australia

Blue-winged Parrot
Neophema chrysostoma
Description
The Blue-winged Parrot has an olive-green head and upper body, with dark blue patch on wings. with yellow patch on face. The tail is green-blue, with yellow sides. The underparts are yellow with some orange-yellow on belly. The face has a yellow patch and there is a dark blue band across the forehead. The female is similar to the male, but with slightly duller colours.

Environment
grasslands and grassy woodlands in coastal areas through to semi-arid zones.

Food
seeds of grasses and herbs

Breeding
nests in a tree hollow. Lays 4-6 eggs on a bed of wood dust.

Range
Main populations are in Tasmania and Victoria. Sparse populations also in western New South Wales extending into eastern SA and south-west Queensland.

Rock Parrot
Neophema petrophila
The Rock Parrot is a stocky, plump grass-parrot endemic to southern Australia. It has a dull brownish olive-green body shading to a yellow abdomen with a diagnostic blue forehead and face. The shoulders are narrowly edged in light and dark blue and it has a slender tail that is pale blue above and yellowish below. The Rock Parrot is tame, quiet and unobstrusive in its general behaviour. It rarely forms large flocks and is usually seen in small groups. The Rock Parrot is almost exclusively terrestrial but commonly perches in dense shrubbery and occasionally shelters under rocks.
Distribution

The Rock Parrot lives on the rocky coastline of south and west Australia. There are two major populations, in the east along the coast from Kingston to Ceduna in South Australia and in Western Australia from Cape Arid National Park to Geraldton.
Habitat

The Rock Parrot is restricted to coastlines and offshore rocky islands, frequenting windswept coastal dunes, mangroves, saline swamps and rocky islets. It is seldom seen more than a few hundred metres from the sea.
Seasonal movements
The Rock Parrot is mainly sedentary, moving about locally in pairs or small flocks during the breeding season, but birds on offshore islands tend to disperse to nearby coasts in autumn and winter.
Feeding

The Rock Parrot feeds on seeds and fruits of a wide variety of grasses, rushes, shrubs and salt-tolerant plants. It forages quietly, mainly in the early morning and late afternoon.
Breeding
The Rock Parrot breeds mostly on off-shore islands, nesting in a rock crevice, tunnel or abandoned seabird nesting burrow, or on a rocky ledge often behind a 'curtain' of succulent shrubs. The females incubates the eggs while the male feeds her by regurgitation, an act which is also ritualised in courtship.

Bourke's Parrot
Neopsephotus bourkii
The Bourke's Parakeets (Neopsephotus Bourkii) are endangered in their own homeland of Southwestern and Central Australia, but are popular in aviculture. They are readily available in the United States and relatively inexpensive.

The Bourke's parrot has recently been removed from the Neophema genus and placed in a genus of its own. Some discussions about this change are still on-going.

Description:

The natural color of the Bourke's Parakeet is basically brown, with pink abdomen, pinkish breast and a blue rump. The legs are dark-brown, with zygodactyl toes (the toes are arranged in pairs, the second and third toes pointing forward; the other two toes pointing backwards). The bill is yellowish-brown.

This parakeet can be visually sexed. Adult males have blue brown crowns while adult hens have white brows and hens and juveniles have a full grey head

In the normal form the head and back are a scaled grey with the chest and abdomen being a pink shade. The wings and tail are etched in blue. To the right, there are photos of the beautiful pink mutation.

Size: The average size for this species is 71/2 inches (19 cm).

Breeding / Aviculture:

These parakeets are quiet, gentle and unassuming, with very endearing personalities. They are not known to be aggressive with other species - even smaller than themselves (i.e., finches, canaries). However, their gentle nature may make them an easy mark for aggressive birds.

GrasskeetsThey do well in planted aviaries; they are not likely to destroy any woodwork and breed readily. They will accept any parakeet nest box, as high up as possible to give them some sense of security and privacy. Providing more boxes than pairs will reduce the bickering over the favorite boxes.

The average clutch consists of 3 to 6 eggs, which are incubated by the female for 18-19 days. The young fledge when they are about 4 weeks old. The female also feeds and tends to the chicks by herself. While the female Bourke's Parrot is incubating the eggs, and also while she is feeding the chicks in the nest, she is fed by the male.

Their expected lifespan is 10 or more years.

Red-rumped
(Psephotus haematonotus)
The Red-rumped Parrot (Psephotus haematonotus), also known variously as the Red-backed Parrot, Red-winged Parrot, Crimson-winged Parrot, Blood-winged Parrot or Grass Parrot, is a common bird of south-eastern Australia, particularly in the Murray-Darling Basin. Red-rumped Parrots are slim, elegant, moderate-sized parrots approximately 28cm (11in) in length. The male's plumage is a bright emerald-green with yellow underparts, a brick-red rump and blue highlights on the wings and upper back. The female's plumage is less vibrant, with pale olive underparts, dull green wings and back and blue-black wingtips. The characteristic red rump is only found in the male.

Red-rumped Parrots can be found in pairs or flocks in open country with access to water. They avoid the coast and the wetter, more heavily timbered areas. Clearing of large tracts of forest and the provision of water for stock has probably extended their range. They are often seen in suburban parks and gardens. Their green plumage provides such a good camouflage in ankle length grasses that they can hide quite effectively until the viewer is only 10-20 metres away.

Despite the long tail - usually a sign of an arboreal bird - they spend a great deal of time feeding on the ground, often calling to one another with an attractive chee chillip chee chillip.
Like many parrots, red-rumps nest in tree hollows or similar places, including fenceposts and stumps. Breeding usually takes place in spring (August to January), however, in the dryer inland areas, breeding can occur at any time of year in response to rainfall.

Mulga
( Psephotus varius )
Description
Male Mulga Parrots are brilliant green with paler green coloring on their lower breast. The underside is yellow with orange-red markings on belly and thighs. The males have a red patch on neck and yellow forehead. Females are olive green with a brownish-green breast and green underside. They have a dull red patch on their neck and the forehead is orange-yellow. Immature Mulga Parrots are similar to adults but duller colours.

Size
27cm

Environment
mulga scrubland, saltbush plains with trees, treed river banks

Food
grass seeds, plants, and other plant seeds, berries, fruits, and green vegetable

Breeding
Four to five white eggs are laid on decayed debris in a tree hollow. Nest may be near ground in a stunted tree, or taller tree near water course.

Range
interior of southern Australia

Blue Bonnet
(Northiella haematogaster)
Size: Adult Weight:
30cm (11.7 in) 65-105g (2.3-3.7 oz)

Races including nominate:
four: N.h. haematogaster, N.h. haematorrhous, N.h. pallescens, N.h. narethae

Colourization Adult: N.h. haematogaster: male-olive/grey head and upperparts; lilac/blue face; yellow lower underparts, with varying red patch on abdomen; wing patch yellow/olive. Bill grey/white. Eye dark brown. Female-as in male but with less red on abdomen and duller colours on face. N.h. haematorrhous: both adults as in haematogaster, but red patch on abdomen extending to undertail coverts; wing patch brown/red. N.h. pallescens: both adults in general much paler than haematogaster; patch on abdomen pale red, minimal or absent in females. N.h. narethae: both adults green/blue forecrown, lores and area above eyes; dark lilac/blue on chin and forecheeks; deep yellow on abdomen and thighs, paler in female; red undertail coverts; orange/red outer lesser wing coverts, duller red in female; smaller in size.

Colourization Juvenile: N.h. haematogaster: as in adult female but duller with little red on abdomen and with slight orange margins to wing patch. N.h. narethae: as in adult female but duller; in young females varying orange/red markings on thighs.

Call: Calls are harsh and abrupt, emitted irregularly in flight. When alarmed emits a repetitive clucking sound. Also calls a piping whistle when perched. Narethae utters soft, flute-like notes and loud yakking notes.

Hooded
Psephotus dissimilis
The Hooded Parrot, Psephotus dissimilis is a medium-sized, up to 26cm long, turquoise blue parrot with black head, green wing, brown back and greenish blue-bronze tail feathers edged with white. It has pale grey beak, greyish brown legs and brown eye. The female is an olive green parrot with pale blue below.

An Australian endemic, the Hooded Parrot inhabits to semi-arid areas of northeast Northern Territory. It nests in a termite mound. The female lays two to four white eggs. The diet consists mainly of seeds, berries and vegetables.

Though this species has disappeared from most of its original range, it remains common in protected areas. The Hooded Parrot is evaluated as Least Concern on IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Male and Female

Golden-shouldered
(Psephotus chrysopterygius)
The Golden-shouldered Parrot is 23–28 cm long. The adult male is mainly blue and has a characteristic yellow over the shoulder area. It has a black cap and pale yellow frontal band. It has a pinkish lower belly, thighs and undertail-coverts. It has a Grey-brown lower back. Adult female are mainly dull greenish-yellow, and have a broad cream bar on the underside of the wings. Juveniles are similar to the adult female.
The Golden-shouldered Parrot lives in open forest, where it feeds on small grass seeds, principally those of firegrass. An important habitat requirement is the provision of terrestrial termite mounds, which the bird uses for nesting in. This has led to the parrot also being known as the Antbed Parrot.
The Golden-shouldered Parrot will build a nest in the taller termite mounds (up to 2 m high), and will dig a burrow into them when the mound has been softened by the rains. A long tunnel is dug down into the mound, and capped off by a nesting chamber. The clutch size is between 3–6 eggs, which are incubated for 20 days. The mound regulates the temperature of the nest in the chamber, so that the eggs can be left unattended while the parents feed.
The Golden-shouldered Parrot is listed as endangered (CITES I). The species has a restricted range and suffers from a variety of threats, including predation by feral cats, tourist disturbance, feral pigs, and a change in burning regime in the grasslands upon whose seeds it depends. The wild population is around 3000 birds, with around 1500 kept in captivity in Australia.

BrokenWing

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When all is done that is asked of me and I can fly no higher, I pray this day his hand extends to welcome home a flier.