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Eastern Ground Parrot
(Pezoporus wallicus)
: "Swamp Parrot",
"Button-grass Parrot"
Aboriginal name(s): "yulu yulu (ng)uRak" [tjapwurrung];
"goolinang"
Size: 28-32 cm
Weight: ca. 60-83 g
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
Eastern Ground Parrots are relatively small, long-tailed
parrots with highly
cryptic plumage.
The back (upperparts) is green with dark-grey scalloping. The
front (underparts) is also green, with prominent dark-grey barring.
The flight feathers are dark-grey with light
edge-lining. The sides of the head are green without
scalloping. The eyes, which have pale irises, are surrounded by
grey eye-rings. The cere is dark-grey, with a red frontal band
above it.
The bill is grey; legs and feet, which have very long toes, are
the colour of skin.
Females
have more prominent black shafts on the feathers on their cheeks than
males.
Juveniles
are more brownish than
adults.
Their eyes are still dark and they do not have a frontal band.
Their bill is horn-coloured.
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Twitcher's tip |
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Compared to Night
Parrots, Eastern Ground Parrots have a more greenish
appearance and a much longer tail.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Eastern
Ground Parrot at Wikipedia .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
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The global distribution of the Eastern Ground Parrot is available
HERE
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Eastern Ground Parrots are endemic to Australia.
Their overall range extends along the Australian East coast, from the
Great Sandy NP, near Gympie, QLD, in the North, across the Bass
Strait, to the southern tip of Tasmania in the South.
The range of nominate race
"wallicus"
is restricted to Tasmania, Flinders Island and Cape Barren Island.
On the Australian continent the distribution of race
"leachi"
is becoming increasingly patchy, being restricted to only a small
number of areas with remaining suitable habitats.
They are found as far westward as just beyond Wilson's
Promontory in South Gippsland, VIC.
Eastern Ground Parrots live in marshy coastal plains without trees,
such as heath,
and reed beds with low
shrubs, in
particular areas with button grass.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "wallicus"
H. Addis reports spotting an Eastern Ground Parrot, race
"wallicus",
in Hartz Mountains, TAS, in March 2021.
Race "leachi"
M. Eaton reports finding Eastern Ground Parrots, race
"leachi",
at Cooloola NP, QLD, in January 2019.
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Photos |
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Race "wallicus"
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ADULT |
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Eastern Ground Parrot using the camouflage of its
cryptic
plumage to
hide against the background of
heath
(photo courtesy of H. Addis)
[Hartz Mountains, TAS, March 2021]
Overview of an Eastern Ground Parrot hiding in its favourite
habitat, heath
(photo courtesy of H. Addis)
[Hartz Mountains, TAS, March 2021]
Race "leachi"
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ADULT |
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MALE |
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Near-dorsal view of a male(?) Eastern Ground Parrot - note the
pale iris and the faint indication of a red frontal band; the
bluish sheen is probably produced by a reflection of early
morning light
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cooloola NP, QLD, January 2019]
Dorsal view of a male(?) Eastern Ground Parrot
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cooloola NP, QLD, January 2019]
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FEMALE |
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Lateral view of a female(?) Eastern Ground Parrot;
note the prominent black shafts on the cheek feathers
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cooloola NP, QLD, January 2019]
Partly obscured lateral view of a female(?) Eastern Ground Parrot;
note the prominent black shafts on the cheeks
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cooloola NP, QLD, January 2019]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
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Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Eastern Ground Parrot;
note the brownish iris and the horn-coloured bill
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cooloola NP, QLD, January 2019]
Dorsal view of a juvenile Eastern Ground Parrot
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cooloola NP, QLD, January 2019]
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors.
The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.