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Red-winged ParrotAlternate name(s): "Crimson-winged Parrot", "Red-winged Lory" ![]() Size: 31-32 cm Weight: 150-200 g |
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Photos |
Not the photos you want? Or are you after even better quality? Have a
look here .
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ADULT |
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MALE |
Full-frontal view of a male Red-winged Parrot
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Durikai SF, near Warwick, QLD, November 2017]
Frontal view of a male Red-winged Parrot holding a seed pod
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Stanage Bay, QLD, July 2021]
Near-frontal view of a male Red-winged Parrot holding a seed pod
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Stanage Bay, QLD, July 2021]
Near-frontal view of a male Red-winged Parrot
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Durikai SF, near Warwick, QLD, November 2017]
Near-lateral view of a male Red-winged Parrot chewing on a seed pod
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Stanage Bay, QLD, July 2021]
Lateral view of a male Red-winged Parrot chewing on a seed pod
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Stanage Bay, QLD, July 2021]
Lateral view of a male Red-winged Parrot visiting a bird bath
[Coonabarabran, NSW, October 2015]
Lateral view onto the upperparts of a male Red-winged Parrot
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Stanage Bay, QLD, July 2021]
Near-dorsal view of a male Red-winged Parrot
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Durikai SF, near Warwick, QLD, November 2017]
Near-dorsal view of a male Red-winged Parrot, with a spectacular
display of its colours, including the blueish mantle
(photo
courtesy of R. Druce)
[Maules Creek, NSW, January 2013]
Dorsal view of a male Red-winged Parrot
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Katherine, NT, July 2020]
Dorsal view of a male Red-winged Parrot, showing its near-black mantle
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2006]
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FEMALE |
Frontal view of a female Red-winged Parrot
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, July 2018]
Close-up near-frontal/ventral view of a female Red-winged Parrot
[Eulah Creek, NSW, June 2023]
Near-lateral view of a female Red-winged Parrot
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2011]
Near-lateral view of a female Red-winged Parrot
[Coonabarabran, NSW, October 2015]
Near-lateral view onto the upperparts of a female Red-winged Parrot
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Stanage Bay, QLD, July 2021]
Close-up lateral view of a female Red-winged Parrot feasting on fruit
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, May 2006]
Lateral view of a female Red-winged Parrot eating
White Cedar
nuts from the ground while they are soft, because wet after a
rain shower
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, April 2006]
Lateral view of a female Red-winged Parrot
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Stanage Bay, QLD, July 2021]
Lateral view of a female Red-winged Parrot stretching one of its wings
(photo courtesy of R. Druce)
Lateral/ventral view of a female Red-winged Parrot; seen by us over
a period of weeks in spring 2011, this bird has some peculiar
light-green feathers on its wings, the likes of which we have
not seen on any other Red-winged Parrot
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2011]
Dorsal view of a female Red-winged Parrot, exhibiting the light orange
tips and inner edges of the tail feathers
(photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Maules Creek, NSW, January 2013]
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PAIR |
Pair of Red-winged Parrots feasting on an introduced Paddy Melon
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Wildlife Sanctuary, near Cunnamulla, QLD, June 2019]
Lateral view of a pair of Red-winged Parrots drinking water
from a bird bath
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2023]
Dorsal view of a pair of Red-winged Parrots, both showing their
blue rumps, while the male also spreads its wing, displaying the
whole variety of their colours (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
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Additional information |
There is a separate page showing a pair of Red-winged Parrots taking a bath.
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Frontal view of a juvenile male Red-winged Parrot
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Wildlife Reserve, near Cunnamulla, QLD, September 2017]
Near-lateral view of a juvenile Red-winged Parrot looking backwards
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, September 2006]
Near-lateral view of a juvenile male Red-winged Parrot
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2016]
Near-lateral view of a juvenile, probably male, Red-winged Parrot,
with a speckled appearance overall, probably moulting (photo
courtesy of R. Druce)
[Maules Creek, NSW, January 2013]
Lateral view of the same Red-winged Parrot as shown above
(photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Maules Creek, NSW, January 2013]
Close-up lateral view of a juvenile Red-winged Parrot
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2023]
Close-up lateral view of a juvenile Red-winged Parrot
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2023]
Lateral view of a juvenile male Red-winged Parrot
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Wildlife Reserve, near Cunnamulla, QLD, September 2017]
Close-up near-dorsal/ventral view of a juvenile Red-winged Parrot
[Eulah Creek, NSW, June 2023]
Dorsal view of a juvenile, probably male, Red-winged Parrot
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2016]
Near-lateral view of two immature Red-winged Parrots; the bird
in the upper right is probably a male, the other a female
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2016]
Lateral view of a juvenile, probably male, Red-winged Parrot
(photo courtesy of L. Tonnochy)
[Near Townsville, QLD, January 2011]
Close-up near-lateral view of a juvenile, probably female,
Red-winged Parrot
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2016]
Near-dorsal view of a juvenile female Red-winged Parrot
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Wildlife Reserve, near Cunnamulla, QLD, September 2017]
Dorsal view of a juvenile female Red-winged Parrot
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Wildlife Reserve, near Cunnamulla, QLD, September 2017]
Frontal view of a very young Red-winged Parrot (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Maules Creek, NSW, January 2013]
No offense intended - in this frontal shot one can see a young Red-winged
Parrot's tongue, an important tool to help peeling seeds (photo courtesy
of R. Druce)
[Maules Creek, NSW, January 2013]
Lateral portrait of a young Red-winged Parrot (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Maules Creek, NSW, January 2013]
This immature Red-winged Parrot demonstrates its non-passerine foothold (photo
courtesy of R. Druce)
[Maules Creek, NSW, January 2013]
Family of Red-winged Parrots with a juvenile bird displaying its
underwing pattern (photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Maules Creek, NSW, January 2013]
Three juvenile Red-winged Parrots approaching a small pond
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2008]
Male Red-winged Parrot with a begging juvenile
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, July 2018]
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: May - Dec | Eggs: 3 - 6 | Incubation period: 20 days | Fledging age: ca. 35 days |
Given the right conditions, Red-winged Parrots can breed almost any time of the year. The breeding season in the tropical north peaks around May-July, farther south (in subtropical, moderate and inland climates) it peaks around September-December.
Nest building: Male & female? | Incubation: Female | Dependent care: Male & female |
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Tree hollow | Material: ? | Height above ground: 5 - 20 m |
Close-up view of a Red-winged Parrot at the entrance of its nest hollow
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Mareeba, QLD, August 2020]
Male Red-winged Parrot at the entrance of its nest hollow
(photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 31 x 26 mm | Colour: White | Shape: Oval |
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Communal | Mobility: Dispersive | Elementary unit: Pair/small flock |
Red-winged Parrots are usually seen only in small numbers, in groups of up to 4 or 5 birds (probably families). However, during the mating season of 2010 seen by us in a small flock of about 20 birds (see photo below).
Flock of Red-winged Parrots; this is about half the number
of birds seen at the time
[Narrabri, NSW, July 2010]
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Food, Diet |
Like many other parrots, Red-winged Parrots feed on seeds, but they take fruit and nectar too.
The culinary preferences of Red-winged Parrots differ significantly from those of the outwardly similar Australian King-Parrots. Although both species share their liking for White Cedar fruit, Red-winged Parrots prefer figs and other (cactus) fruit (rather than apricots). Red-winged Parrots were also observed by us once taking seeds of Acacia salicina.
Male Red-winged Parrot taking nectar out of the blossoms of a
grevillea
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Loyalty Beach, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]
This female seemed to be interested in the buds of one of our
eucalypts
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2011]
Male Red-winged Parrot munching on a
grevillea seed
[Pine Creek, NT, August 2014]
Male Red-winged Parrot feasting on an introduced Paddy Melon
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Wildlife Sanctuary, near Cunnamulla, QLD, June 2019]
Female Red-winged Parrot feasting on an introduced Paddy Melon
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bowra Wildlife Sanctuary, near Cunnamulla, QLD, June 2019]
Female Red-winged Parrot feasting on what looks like privet
(photo courtesy of M. Windeyer)
[Gilgandra, NSW, August 2010]
This Red-winged Parrot has been feeding in an area burnt
by a recent bushfire (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Marrakai track, Top End, NT, August 2018]
Lateral view of a male Red-winged Parrot at a bird bath
(photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Maules Creek, NSW, January 2013]
Two juvenile Red-winged Parrots drinking from a bird bath
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2023]
Two juvenile Red-winged Parrots and a pair of
Red-rumped Parrots
drinking from a bird bath
[Eulah Creek, NSW, June 2023]
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
redwing_20140208.mp3 | (NW NSW) | Contact call | © MD | |
redwing_20140911.mp3 | (NW NSW) | Contact calls | © MD | |
redwing_20140208_2.mp3 | (NW NSW) | Warning/ departure | © MD | |
redwing_20230603.mp3 | (NW NSW) | Alarm/departure (2 juveniles), (+ Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater) | © MD | |
redwing_pb_20180902.m4a | (Top End, NT) | Alarm calls(?); group in-flight | © PB | |
redwing_pb_20211014.m4a | (Top End, NT) | Competing for food(?); mob of 14 | © PB | |
redwing_20190311.m4a | (NW NSW) | Juvenile begging, being fed & departure | © MD | |
redwing_20221127.mp3 | (NW NSW) | 2 juveniles begging + parents' response | © MD |
More Red-winged Parrot sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.