by Nicholas Munday, Adelaide Urban Birding
The subject of this article is a dazzling yet often overlooked species: the Red-rumped Parrot (Psephotus haematonotus).
Despite its tropical colour-palette - with males adorned with beautiful opaline greens, turquoise blues, and contrasting red rump that gives the bird its common name - the Red-rumped Parrot is not a rainforest resident but a dry-country specialist. It is right at home in the open woodland habitats of the Adelaide Plains, and has adapted seamlessly to life in urban environments, especially your Adelaide Park Lands which blend an ideal array of scattered trees and grasses that mimic the bird’s natural environment.
The gorgeous yet subtle colours of the male Red-rumped Parrot. Photograph: Adelaide Urban Birding.
The Red-rumped Parrot belongs to the family of “Old World” parrots (Psittaculidae), and more specifically to the genus Psephotus, which are specialist feeders of fine seeded plants such as grasses. Indeed, another common name for the species is the “Grass Parrot”, although more generally this term applies to all members of the genus Phesphotus and some other closely related species (notwithstanding, there is ambiguity about how many species belong in the Phesphotus genus, and some classifications include only the Red-rumped Parrot).
Red-rumped Parrots are ground-feeders first and foremost, and have evolved dextrous feet and beaks that are well-suited to husking tiny grass seeds. By parrot standards, Red-rumped Parrots are relatively quiet, modestly sized, and not often found in large flocks (although they will sometimes gather to roost in larger numbers). Typically, these birds are seen in pairs or small family groups, most often feeding silently on the ground.
Red-rumped Parrots display a high degree of sexual dimorphism. While the male Red-rumped Parrot is adorned with a gorgeous kaleidoscope of colours, females and juveniles are far more subdued, being mostly olive-brown and grey with a duller rump. It is not unusual to see a brightly-coloured male feeding right out in the open, with a less conspicuous female remaining partially hidden in the dappled shade nearby.
A female Red-rumped Parrot, lacking the vibrant colours of the male. Photograph: Adelaide Urban Birding.
The nesting habits of Red-Rumped Parrots are fairly typical of parrots: they prefer to breed in hollows high up in eucalypts, and are most active during the spring and early summer months. Within your Adelaide Park Lands, however, they are often most easily observed in winter, when other food sources are scarce and abundant London Plane Trees provide a good source of seed.
A male Red-rumped Parrot feeding on Plane Tree seeds in the Adelaide CBD. Photograph: Adelaide Urban Birding.
Despite their shy demeanour, these parrots are highly successful in modified landscapes, particularly across suburban Adelaide with its abundant parks and ovals that provide a more than adequate supply of grass.
Within your Adelaide Park Lands, these birds can be seen in almost every large open park where there is a good supply of grass seed and trees for perching and nesting. Some hotspots include Victoria Park / Pakapakanthi (Park 16), Bonython Park / Tulya Wardli (Park 27), and the grassy fringes of the River Torrens / Karrawirra Parri, particularly in Botanic Park (Park 11) and near the Adelaide Zoo.
A small flock of Red-rumped Parrots feeding on Plane Tree seeds. Photograph: Adelaide Urban Birding.
Top (cover) photo: Red-Rumped Parrot feeding on grass by Adelaide Urban Birding.
Other resources
See the other birds featured in our Adelaide Park Lands “What Bird Is That"?” series.
Nicholas Munday is an environment and planning lawyer with degrees in law and science (evolutionary biology and ecology) from the University of Adelaide.
He has a strong interest in biodiversity conservation and runs the ‘Adelaide Urban Birding’ Instagram account (@adelaideurbanbirding), dedicated to his photography of native birds in the Adelaide metropolitan area.
In his free time, Nicholas is well-known in the Adelaide choral music and theatre communities and also enjoys bushwalking, writing, and, of course, photography.
The opinions expressed in this article are entirely those of the author. This author is not affiliated with the Adelaide Park Lands Association.
