Mulga Parrot (species: Psephotus varius) in Queensland Central Highlands (Gaia Guide)
Psephotus varius
Mulga Parrot


©Tom Tarrant: Male and female Mulga Parrots (Psephotus varius)

©David Cook: Male Mulga Parrot (Psephotus varius)
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Aves
Order Psittaciformes
Family Psittacidae
Genus Psephotus
Species Psephotus varius
Status least concern

Colours

                        

Distinguishing features

The male Mulga Parrot is a bright green overall, with a bluish tinge on the neck and above the eye, and paler on the breast. The rump is light green. The forehead is yellow and there is a red patch on the back of the head. The lower belly and thighs are yellowish marked with orange-red and the wings greenish apart from the yellow median wing coverts and blue outer webs of primaries. The long tail is an assortment of colours: the two long central feathers are dark blue tinged with green, the outer feathers are blue shading to white and there is some red on the upper tail coverts. Its bill is a blue-grey edged with black, and iris is brown.

The female is duller overall, with an olive-brown head and chest, duller yellow forehead and red patch on the back of the head, and pale green belly, and more brown-grey bill. It has a red shoulder. (Wikipedia)

Juveniles have duller plumage than adults.

Size

  • From 26 cm to 28 cm (Length of specimen)

Wingspan

  • Up to 42 cm

Synonyms

Distribution


©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution: Mulga Parrot (Psephotus varius)

Distribution and habitat preferences

It is endemic in arid scrublands and lightly timbered grasslands in the interior of southern Australia. (Wikipedia)

Web resources