Red-Rumped Parrots

Don came across a pair of red-rumped parrots stripping a flannel flower. The flowers were too immature to have set seed, so he guessed the birds might have been feeding on the flower buds. Very little is known about the diet of our native parrots, so it’s often surprising to see what they actually eat in the wild.

Red-rumped parrot (Psephotus haematonotus)

These beautiful grass parrots are found in New South Wales, Victoria, southern Queensland and eastern parts of South Australia. They live in pairs or small flocks and can often be seen feeding in city parks or on grass verges along roadsides.

Male red-rumped parrots are much more colourful than the females. The male has bright green plumage and a red rump, with some yellow on the shoulder and lower breast. The female is a dull olive green, with a green rump.