Elegant parrot facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Elegant parrot |
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| Elegant Parrot, Flinders Ranges South Australia, 2019 | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Neophema
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| Species: |
elegans
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| Distribution of the elegant parrot | |
The elegant parrot (Neophema elegans) is a beautiful type of parrot. It belongs to the Psittaculidae family, which includes many colorful parrots. This bird is special because it is found only in Australia.
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About Its Name
Aboriginal people had different names for the elegant parrot. Some of these names included carteri, bilgir, or koolyederong.
The English name for this bird came from a famous bird expert and artist, John Gould. He named it in 1837. The word "elegans" in its scientific name comes from Latin and means "elegant."
This parrot is one of six types of "grass parrots" in the Neophema group. People have also called it the elegant parakeet or grass parakeet in the past.
What Does It Look Like?
The elegant parrot is about 23 cm (9.1 in) long. That's about the length of a ruler! Its main color is a golden olive green.
It has a dark blue band across its forehead, with a lighter blue line above it. Its belly and underparts are bright yellow. Female parrots are a bit duller in color and have a thinner blue band on their forehead.
The wings are mostly olive green, but the outer flight feathers are dark blue. Its tail is yellow on the edges and has shades of olive and blue. The parrot has a grey beak and legs, and its eyes are dark brown. Young parrots are not as brightly colored and do not have the blue forehead bands yet.
Where Does It Live?
The elegant parrot lives in two main areas of Australia. One area is in southwestern Australia. This stretches from Moora in the north down to Merredin and Esperance in the east.
The other area is in southeastern South Australia, including Kangaroo Island. From there, it goes north to Marree and east into western Victoria.
How Do They Raise Their Young?
Elegant parrots usually breed between July and November. Sometimes, they breed after it rains a lot. They might raise one or two groups of chicks, depending on how much rain there has been.
They make their nests in hollows inside trees. These hollows are usually high up, more than 15 m (49 ft) above the ground. They often choose eucalypt trees near water or in stringybark forests.
A female parrot lays a clutch of four to six eggs. The eggs are round and white, measuring about 21 by 18 millimeters.
Gallery
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Captive at Walsrode Bird Park, Germany
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Elegant parrots in captivity
See also
In Spanish: Periquito elegante para niños
