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Rock Parrot (Neophema petrophila) Alternate name(s): "Rock Parakeet", "Rock Elegant" Size: 22-24 cm; wing span: 33-34 cm Body mass: 44-67 g Wing loading [g/cm2]: 0.26-0.33

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

Similar species

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

Physical description Click here for a physical description Rock Parrots are small parrots. They have a blue facial mask, with an horizontal bar across the forehead and paler blue from the bill to behind the eyes. The facial mask is more pronounced in males than in females. Much of the rest of their plumage (the rest of the head, chin, chest, back, wing coverts) is dull-olive. The wings have a blue/turquoise leading edge when folded (forming a bar in flight), with blue-black wing tips. The underwings are also blue-black. Belly, vent and undertail coverts are yellow. The tail is turquoise, with yellow outer edges near the base. The irises are dark, the bill is dark-grey and the legs and feet are grey. Juveniles have a pale bill and lack the blue facial mask of adults.

Taxonomy, classification See Rock 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 Rock Parrot is available HERE . Rock Parrots are endemic to Australia. They populate basically two regions of the Australian continent: Nominate race "petrophila" is found along the coastal fringe of western and southern WA, from about Exmouth, WA, in the North-west, to Cape Arid, WA, in the South-east. Race "zietzi" populates the coastal fringe of central southern SA, from Ceduna, SA, in the West to Coorong NP, SA, in the East. Rock Parrots, as the name suggests, breed in rock crevices on offshore islands. They spend the non-breeding season on the mainland, foraging in coastal grassland.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "petrophila" M. Mearns reports finding Rock Parrots, nominate race "petrophila", at Cape Leeuwin, WA, in August 2018 and in Esperance, WA, in October 2018. J. Greaves reports spotting Rock Parrots, nominate race "petrophila", at Cheynes Beach, Albany, WA, in June 2020.

Photos

Race "petrophila"

ADULT

PAIR

Many bird species exhibit sexual dimorphism, i.e., male and female have differing appearances which can be quite subtle.
Note the overall paleness of the female's front, right, in particular the reduced blue frontal bar compared to the male's.

Near-lateral/dorsal view of a pair of Rock Parrots; male in front (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Esperance, WA, October 2018]

MALE

Frontal view of a male Rock Parrot; note the blue face mask (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Cheynes Beach, Albany, WA, June 2020]

Near-frontal view of a male Rock Parrot (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Esperance, WA, October 2018]

Near-frontal view of a male Rock Parrot (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Esperance, WA, October 2018]

Near-lateral view of a male Rock Parrot (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Cheynes Beach, Albany, WA, June 2020]

Lateral view of a male Rock Parrot (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Cheynes Beach, Albany, WA, June 2020]

Lateral view of a male Rock Parrot (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Cheynes Beach, Albany, WA, June 2020]

Close-up lateral view of a male Rock Parrot (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Cheynes Beach, Albany, WA, June 2020]

Lateral/near-dorsal views of two male Rock Parrots (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Esperance, WA, October 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a male Rock Parrot (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Esperance, WA, October 2018]

Near-dorsal/dorsal views of two male Rock Parrots (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Esperance, WA, October 2018]

FEMALE

Lateral view of a female Rock Parrot; note the reduced blue across the forehead and the absence of blue around the lores (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Cheynes Beach, Albany, WA, June 2020]

Sex unknown

Lateral view of a Rock Parrot (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Cheynes Beach, Albany, WA, June 2020]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal

Mobility: Sedentary

Elementary unit: Pair/mob

Rock Parrot having a good stretch; the tail can be done while feeding, no sweat (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Cheynes Beach, Albany, WA, June 2020]

Rock Parrot wing stretch; that takes a bit more attention to balance (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Cheynes Beach, Albany, WA, June 2020]

Rock Parrot wing stretch; ok, fold the wings up again... (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Cheynes Beach, Albany, WA, June 2020]

Dorsal view of a preening Rock Parrot (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Cheynes Beach, Albany, WA, June 2020]

Rock Parrot wing stretch; display of all the beautiful colours (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Cheynes Beach, Albany, WA, June 2020]

Food, Diet

Frontal view of a male Rock Parrot feeding on grass seeds (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Esperance, WA, October 2018]

Overview of Rock Parrots feeding on grass seeds (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Esperance, WA, October 2018]

Rock Parrots seem to be oddly fond of rank buffalo grass cuttings (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Cheynes Beach, Albany, WA, June 2020]

Rock Parrots seem to be oddly fond of rank buffalo grass cuttings (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Cheynes Beach, Albany, WA, June 2020]

Rock Parrots seem to be oddly fond of rank buffalo grass cuttings (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Cheynes Beach, Albany, WA, June 2020]

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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