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Red-capped Parrot (Purpureicephalus spurius) Alternate name(s): "King Parrot*" (WA only), "Western King Parrot", "Pileated Parakeet", "Hookbill" Aboriginal name(s): "djaryl", "djarrailboordang", "djayop" Size: 34-38 cm; wing span: 42-48 cm Body mass: 105-125 g Wing loading [g/cm2]: 0.35-0.45x

Australia: Family Group 12 Family Group 12 Table Palm Cockatoo Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo Glossy Black-Cockatoo Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo Short-billed Black-Cockatoo Long-billed Black-Cockatoo Gang-gang Cockatoo Long-billed Corella Western Corella Little Corella Cockatiel Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Pink Cockatoo Galah Rainbow Lorikeet Red-collared Lorikeet Scaly-breasted Lorikeet Purple-crowned Lorikeet Varied Lorikeet Musk Lorikeet Little Lorikeet Eclectus Parrot Red-cheeked Parrot Double-eyed Fig-Parrot Australian King-Parrot Red-winged Parrot Princess Parrot Superb Parrot Regent Parrot Green Rosella Crimson Rosella Western Rosella Eastern Rosella Pale-headed Rosella Northern Rosella Red-capped Parrot Australian Ringneck Red-rumped Parrot Mulga Parrot Golden-shouldered Parrot Hooded Parrot Blue Bonnet Bourke's Parrot Budgerigar Swift Parrot Eastern Ground Parrot Night Parrot Blue-winged Parrot Scarlet-chested Parrot Rock Parrot Turquoise Parrot Elegant Parrot Family group table Index of bird names Habitat pages Key plants Thumbnails page Birds home page

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Red-capped Parrots are medium-sized parrots. They have a multi-coloured plumage with a red cap, which gives them their name, yellow cheeks, dark-blue breast and belly, yellow-lined red vent, green mantle and upperwings and dark-blue flight feathers and underwings. The upper mandible of the grey bill is conspicuously long. The colours of female Red-capped Parrots are duller than those of males. Juveniles are mostly green, with a brown breast and belly and a red vent.

Taxonomy, classification See Red-capped Parrot at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species 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 . The global distribution of the Red-capped Parrot is available HERE . Red-capped Parrots are endemic to the south-western tip of WA. They are found from the Moore River southward, to about Dundas NR, just inland from the WA south coast. They breed throughout their restricted range. Red-capped Parrots have a preference for marri eucalypts (Corymbia calophylla) forests and woodlands, but have adapted to the presence of humans by entering farmland, orchards and parks.

Sightings Click here for sighting information J. Greaves reports spotting Red-capped Parrots at Albany, WA, in January 2015. M. Eaton reports finding Red-capped Parrots near Cockburn, WA, in April 2019.

Photos

ADULT

PAIR

Many bird species exhibit sexual dimorphism, i.e., male and female have differing appearances which can be quite subtle.
The chest and shoulders of male Red-capped Parrots, left, are blue, while those of females are bluish-grey.

MALE

Frontal view of a male Red-capped Parrot (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Cockburn, WA, April 2019]

Near-frontal view of a male Red-capped Parrot (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Cockburn, WA, April 2019]

Near-lateral view of a male Red-capped Parrot (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Cockburn, WA, April 2019]

Lateral view of a male Red-capped Parrot (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Cockburn, WA, April 2019]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female Red-capped Parrot; note the greyish-blue front (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Cockburn, WA, April 2019]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of a juvenile Red-capped Parrot (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Cockburn, WA, April 2019]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile Red-capped Parrot (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Cockburn, WA, April 2019]

Lateral view of a juvenile Red-capped Parrot (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Triandra Reserve, Cockburn, WA, April 2019]

Dorsal view of a juvenile Red-capped Parrot (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Triandra Reserve, Cockburn, WA, April 2019]

Dorsal view of a juvenile Red-capped Parrot, now seen preening (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Triandra Reserve, Cockburn, WA, April 2019]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: ?

Mobility: Sedentary

Elementary unit: Pair/family/small flock

Food, Diet

Frontal view of a male Red-capped Parrot feeding on casuarina seeds (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Cockburn, WA, April 2019]

Red-capped Parrots foraging for seeds by a roadside (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Albany, WA, January 2015]

Red-capped Parrots foraging for seeds by a roadside (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Albany, WA, January 2015]

Juvenile Red-capped Parrot taking a fruit (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Albany, WA, January 2015]

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.

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