Superb Parrot

Overview

The Superb Parrot is native to grassy woodland along rivers and floodplains of inland southeastern Australia. It is a slender, long-tailed parrot with a marked difference between male and female head coloring.

• Slim body with a long, tapering tail
• Restricted, riverine woodland-dependent range
• Clear sexual dimorphism in face coloring

Feather Identification

Body feathers are bright green in both sexes. Males show a yellow face and throat crossed by a narrow, sharply defined red band across the lower throat, while females have a mostly green face with little to no yellow or red.

• Flight feathers: Green, with a bluish tinge on the outer primaries
• Tail feathers: Long and green, tapering to a point
• Sex-based mark: A yellow face with a red throat band indicates a male; a plain green face with a pale eye-ring indicates a female or immature

The yellow-face-with-red-throat-band pattern in males is diagnostic, while females and young birds are best identified by the combination of a slender build, long tail, and largely green head lacking bright yellow or red.

This species is sexually dimorphic in head coloring: males show a yellow face and red throat band, while females and juveniles have a duller, mostly green face. Young males resemble females initially and acquire full facial coloring as they mature. Molt is gradual through the year.

The Superb Parrot is closely tied to grassy woodland, particularly along rivers and floodplains, in a relatively restricted part of inland southeastern Australia. It shows some seasonal movement, with certain populations moving between breeding and non-breeding areas within the region.

These parrots forage both on the ground and in trees for seeds, fruit, and blossoms, often in pairs or small flocks. They nest in tree hollows, typically in large old eucalypts along waterways, with both parents contributing to chick care. Calls include rolling, chattering notes as well as sharper contact calls given in flight.