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Turquoise Parrot

Did you know?

Until the 1880's, the Turquoise Parrot was considered the most common species of parrot in Western Sydney and was one of only two species recorded before 1900.

Calls
A high, weak, musical tinkling in flight; also, a faint high twittering call when feeding.
Facts and Figures
Research Species: 
No
Minimum Size: 
20cm
Maximum Size: 
22cm
Average size: 
21cm
Average weight: 
40g
Breeding season: 
August to January
Clutch Size: 
Four to five.
Incubation: 
20 days
Nestling Period: 
30 days
Conservation Status
Federal: 
Secure
NSW: 
Vulnerable
NT: 
Not present
QLD: 
Secure
SA: 
Not present
TAS: 
Not present
VIC: 
Near threatened
WA: 
Not present
Basic Information
Scientific Name: 
Neophema pulchella
Featured bird groups: 
Parrots
Atlas Number: 
302
What does it look like?
Description: 

The male Turquoise Parrot is bright green above, with a turquoise blue crown and face. A brilliant two-tone blue band around the bend of the wing contrasts with a dark, brick-red shoulder patch. Its underparts and tail edges are a rich yellow. The female is similar, but not as bright, with a whitish facial mask, no red on the wing, and a pale wing stripe. Old birds of both sexes may have orange underparts.

Similar species: 

The Turquoise Parrot is similar to the Scarlet-chested Parrot, Neophema splendida. It is the females which could most easily be confused, as the males are more distinctive. The female Scarlet-chested Parrot has a more extensive cobalt-blue face than the female Turquoise Parrot.

Where does it live?
Distribution: 

The Turquoise Parrot is found from south-eastern Queensland, through New South Wales to eastern and north-eastern Victoria. The range was formerly more extensive.

Habitat: 

The Turquoise Parrot favours open, grassy woodland with dead trees near permanent water. It also inhabits coastal heaths and pastures with exotic grasses and weeds, along roadsides and in orchards.

Seasonal movements: 

Turquoise Parrots are generally resident in an area, but some local seasonal movement occurs.

What does it do?
Feeding: 

Pairs or small parties of Turquoise Parrots forage mostly on or near the ground for seeds of grasses and shrubs. They also eat flowers, nectar, fruits, leaves and scale-insects.

Breeding: 

The Turquoise Parrot nests in vertical or near-vertical hollows in living or dead trees. The eggs are laid on decayed wood-dust or fine wood-chips. Leaves and grass may also be brought to the nest by the female. She carries these by tucking them under the feathers on her rump. Sometimes two clutches are laid in a season. Only the female incubates the eggs, but she is fed by the male who will also later attend to the chicks.

Living with us

The Turquoise Parrot is considered vulnerable in New South Wales, and threatened in Victoria, after having been considered extinct in the wild by 1915. The population began to recover by the 1920's. They had formerly been caught in large numbers for the cage bird industry, and were also shot for food, as a pie-filling. Their original habitat in western Sydney - the Cumberland Plain Woodland - is the most cleared of any vegetation community.

References: 
Field guide to Australian Birds.
Field guide to the birds of Australia, 6th Edition
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia.
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds, Volume 4 {(Parrots} to Dollarbird)
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