If you’ve read my reports about Western Australia, Tasmania and Queensland and wished you could see all these magnificent parrots in person, this will put you over the edge! I really want to go up north to see those Golden-shouldered Parrots!
You’ll see Eclectus Parrots worthy of a soap opera, cheeky Cockatoos, parrots from all over Australia – forests, the dry Outback, rainforests and those who frequent farms – much to the farmer’s consternation.
Enjoy the video!
The Pale-headed Rosella (Platycercus adscitus), is a broad-tailed parrot of the genus Platycercus native to northeastern Australia. This beautiful parrot is special for me as they sometimes come into our property. Their visits are sporadic so I always feel honoured when they come around.
Pale-headed Rosellas have a large range extending from the far north of Queensland into New South Wales. They are readily seen both in bushland and in suburbs of Brisbane (lucky me!) and prefer open forests. They were very easy to see at Lake Coolmunda and Mosquito Creek Road.
LEARN MORE ABOUT PALE-HEADED ROSELLASBeautiful close up to appreciate the colours on this bird.
They not only sound sweet, they are great communicators! Check out how this one chats to a Butcherbird!
The Australian King Parrot (Alisterus scapularis) is endemic to eastern Australia found in humid and heavily forested upland regions of the eastern portion of the continent, including eucalyptus wooded areas in and directly adjacent to subtropical and temperate rainforest. They feed on fruits and seeds gathered from trees or on the ground.
The male has a bright red head and breast wheras the female is mostly green. Although this female has a leg band, she is actually one of the wild parrots that hang around O’Reilly’s for a free meal.
King Parrots are easily found within their range as the males are very bright and conspicuous and the females stay close to their mates. You are pretty much guaranteed to see them at O’Reilly’s and the small cafe near Jolly’s Lookout near Brisbane.
LEARN MORE ABOUT AUSTRALIAN KING PARROTSThere’s no shortage of King Parrot videos online. This one is good for the close ups of the birds foraging and you can clearly see the difference between the male and female.
This little guy from the Blue Mountains in NSW has no trouble with accepting hand outs (literally)!
And here is a whole flock (mostly juveniles) that visit someone’s back yard. Notice the pleasant sound they make!
The Turquoise Parrot (Neophema pulchella) is a species of parrot in the genus Neophema native to Eastern Australia, from southeastern Queensland, through New South Wales and into north-eastern Victoria.
I had to use a Wikipedia shot since the only one I could get was too far away.
Sitting on a wire near Amiens, Stanthorpe area.
They have a large range in eastern Australia mostly in NSW & Victoria with a smaller range in South-east QLD. I have seen them near Amiens in the Stanthorpe area and a brief glimpse of a pair in Durikai National Forest.
LEARN MORE ABOUT TURQUOISE PARROTSLovely close-ups of a lovely bird! That bright turquoise face is spectacular!
The Scaly-breasted Lorikeet (Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus) is an Australian lorikeet found in woodland in eastern Australia. The common name aptly describes this bird, which has yellow breast feathers broadly edged with green that look like scales. Look for them on nectar-bearing plants such as bottlebrush and grevellia.
Next to the gaudy Rainbow Lorikeet, these more delicately hued birds are the easiest Lorikeet to see in Eastern Australia. I’ve seen them in my neighborhood, in most local Brisbane reserves and parks and as far west as Coolmunda Dam where I took the above photo.
LEARN MORE ABOUT SCALY BREASTED LORIKEETSNice close up at a feeder
Chattering flock
The Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans) is a parrot native to eastern and south eastern Australia which has been introduced to New Zealand and Norfolk Island. It is commonly found in, but not restricted to, mountain forests and gardens.
These dramatic and beautiful birds are easily seen within their large range in Eastern Australia. From Brisbane, it’s as easy as a drive to Jolly’s Lookout and the cafe nearby, a visit to Girraween or O’Reilly’s.
A wild bird eating seed put out by someone.
The O’Reilly’s Experience – Crimsoon Rosellas & King Parrots will compete for the bird seed you get at the shop. Although touristy, you do get to see the gorgeous parrots up close and personal!
The Major Mitchell’s cockatoo (Lophochroa leadbeateri) also known as Leadbeater’s cockatoo or pink cockatoo, is a medium-sized cockatoo restricted to arid and semi-arid inland areas of Australia. Regardless of what common name you use, it’s arguably the most beautiful of all the cockatoos and a real joy to see in the wild, especially in flight with the sun backlighting their pink wings. These photos I took at Bowra Station don’t do it justice! I noticed they always had a sentinel or two while most of the flock foraged on the ground.
Don’t be fooled by all the green on the map, this highly nomadic bird may have a large range but it is really difficult to find them outside of the major birding hotspots such as Bowra Station (blue dot) in Queensland and Eyre Sanctuary in Western Australia.
LEARN MORE ABOUT MAJOR MITCHELL COCKATOOS
One bird foraging in a tree.
Enjoying a paddy melon.
The Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) also known as common pet parakeet or shell parakeet and informally nicknamed the budgie, is a small, long-tailed, seed-eating parrot. Budgerigars are the only species in the Australian genus Melopsittacus, and are found wild throughout the drier parts of Australia where the species has survived harsh inland conditions for the last five million years.
I’ve been dreaming of seeing one of those huge flocks with 10,000 birds in it (Budgie-nado anyone?) but at least I got to see them up close at their nesting site at Bowra Station.
Although they have a huge range throughout inland Australia you need to be very lucky to stumble across them in the vast Outback along the main roads. Some people have been that lucky as you can see in the video below. In Queensland, Bowra Station is very reliable for budgies, also check eBird for recent sightings as these parrots are very nomadic.
There’s no shortage of Budgie videos online but here’s a couple really good ones. This one is a whole documentary about the species.
Budgie swarm.
In this video it seems the young wild Budgies have mistaken a windscreen for water and are confused. I wish that workman had a clue and offered them some water, they look really thirsty.
The Red-Winged parrot (Aprosmictus erythropterus), is a parrot native to Australia and Papua New Guinea. It is found in grasslands, savannah, farmland, and woodland.
They have quite a large range throughout Queensland, Australia and even a small bit of Papua New Guinea. I found it quite easy to see them at Lake Coolmunda, especially near the caravan park and near the shearer’s quarters at Bowra Station (blue dots).
LEARN MORE ABOUT RED-WINGED PARROTS
Wonderful close up of this bird, seems to be a juvenile going by the feathering.
The Little Corella (Cacatua sanguinea), also known as the bare-eyed cockatoo, blood-stained cockatoo, short-billed corella, little cockatoo and blue-eyed cockatoo, is a white cockatoo native to Australia and southern New Guinea. It was known as Birdirra among the Yindjibarndi people of the central and western Pilbara.
Little Corellas are seen just about everywhere, often flocking together with Galahs. They frequent the park near my house, I can hear them flying overhead most mornings. They have a huge range in Australia and are found in all capital cities so whichever gateway city you use, you are bound to see them even before you hit the bush!
LEARN MORE ABOUT LITTLE CORELLASSome amusing behavior by Little Corellas in this compilation.
Corellas of a feather floch together!