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Superb Parrot (Polytelis swainsonii) Alternate name(s): "Barraband's Parakeet", "Barraband's Parrot", "Scarlet-breasted Parrot", "Green Leek*" Size: 37-42 cm Body mass: 135-165 g

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 Superb Parrots are medium-sized parrots with a very long tail. Their plumage is dimorphic, i.e. males and females are different. Male Superb Parrots have a yellow forehead and throat, with a scarlet lower border along the lower edge of the throat. The rest is basically all-green, with flight feathers that have a blue hue. Female Superb Parrots have a pale turquoise forehead and throat, but otherwise resemble male birds, except for the undertail and legs, which have some pink on them. Males have yellow irises, those of females are dark. The bill of both sexes is brownish, the legs and feet are grey. Juveniles resemble females, but they have no pink on them.

Taxonomy, classification See Superb 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 Superb Parrot is available HERE . Superb Parrots are endemic to Australia. They are found only in a small part of the Australian continent. During their breeding season they are concentrated in an area a few hundred km across to the West of Canberra, ACT. Outside the breeding season (especially when grass seeds are ripe) they disperse in all directions, however mostly northwards, into the North-West Slopes and Plains of NSW (Gunnedah, Narrabri, Wee Waa, Pilliga, Burren Junction, towards Moree and Mungindi), up to just South of the NSW/QLD border. In recent years (since 2012) there are reports of Superb Parrots remaining in North-West NSW. There are also reports of Superb Parrots further South, down to Melbourne, VIC. Superb Parrots can usually be found in open forest with grassy undergrowth, often around River Red Gums along inland creek beds or gullies. Additional information The calls of Superb Parrots are a bit similar to those of Cockatiels, although usually lower-pitched.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Superb Parrots were first spotted by us at Culgoora, 25 km West of Narrabri, NSW, where they were seen semi-regularly during the years 2003-2008. Flocks of up to 50 birds have been seen in some years (2003, 2004, 2005). In other years there were less birds. During some months of the year (usually springtime, from October to December) they are not seen in the Narrabri area, probably because often there are no suitable seeds or small fruits for them. In subsequent years, Superb Parrots have been spotted in the area of Narrabri, usually westward of the township, semi-regularly. A single male bird was seen at Eulah Creek, 20 km East of Narrabri in January 2009. In June 2013 a small flock of 12 Superb Parrots was seen by us at the same location. Since April 2013, C. Hayne reports spotting Superb Parrots semi-regularly in the area of Moree, Terry Hie Hie (often along the Terry Hie Hie road, South-West of Moree), Biniguy and Bingara, NSW. In July 2013, well over 100 birds were found along the Moree-Terry Hie Hie road, which is apparently the highest number of Superb Parrots ever recorded in one location in NSW. About 60 birds were found about 50 km North-West of Moree in June 2013. In April 2016 we spotted a pair of Superb Parrots in the Burrendong Botanic Garden & Arboretum near Wellington, NSW. At least 22 birds were found about 10 km South of Burren Junction, NSW, in July 2019. Another appeared in Burren Junction, NSW, in July 2021. M. Windeyer reports finding large numbers of Superb Parrots about 5 km W of Gulargambone, NSW, in May 2020. Together with V. Collins, we found a total of 19 Superb Parrots, in two mobs, along the Pilliga - Coonamble Road, NSW, in May 2021. V. Collins reports finding about 100 Superb Parrots at Culgoora, 25 km West of Narrabri, NSW, in May 2022. In June 2022, together with M. Eaton, we still found ca. 60 Superb Parrots at the same location.

Photos

ADULT

PAIR

Frontal/near-frontal view of a pair of Superb Parrots, male on the right (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Culgoora, near Narrabri, NSW, June 2022]

Lateral view of a pair of Superb Parrots, male on the right
[Culgoora, near Narrabri, NSW, June 2022]

Lateral/dorsal view of a pair of Superb Parrots, male on the right (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Culgoora, near Narrabri, NSW, May 2022]

MALE

Frontal view of a male Superb Parrot
[Pilliga - Coonamble Road, NSW, May 2021]

Near-frontal view of a male Superb Parrot
[Pilliga - Coonamble Road, NSW, May 2021]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a male Superb Parrot (photo courtesy of C. Kellenberg)
[Near Narrabri, NSW, June 2009]

Near-lateral view of a male Superb Parrot feeding on the shoots and seeds of a small shrub
[Burrendong Botanic Garden & Arboretum, near Wellington, NSW, April 2016]

Lateral view of a male Superb Parrot
[Pilliga - Coonamble Road, NSW, May 2021]

Close-up lateral portrait of a male Superb Parrot
[Culgoora, near Narrabri, NSW, June 2022]

Close-up lateral view of a male Superb Parrot in an ironbark eucalypt tree; note the conspicuously long tail that is characteristic of parrots of the genus Polytelis
[Burrendong Botanic Garden & Arboretum, near Wellington, NSW, April 2016]

Lateral view of a male Superb Parrot
[Pilliga - Coonamble Road, NSW, May 2021]

Lateral view of a male Superb Parrot in a paddock
[Near Narrabri, NSW, February 2006]

Two male Superb Parrots sorting out the pecking order (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Culgoora, near Narrabri, NSW, May 2022]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a male Superb Parrot
[Culgoora, near Narrabri, NSW, June 2022]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a male Superb Parrot in flight
[Near Moree, NSW, June 2013]

Lateral view of a male Superb Parrot in flight
[Near Burren Junction, NSW, July 2019]

FEMALE

Near-frontal view of a female Superb Parrot
[Pilliga - Coonamble Road, NSW, May 2021]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a female Superb Parrot
[Pilliga - Coonamble Road, NSW, May 2021]

Lateral view of a female Superb Parrot looking towards the observer
[Pilliga - Coonamble Road, NSW, May 2021]

Lateral portrait of a female Superb Parrot
[Culgoora, near Narrabri, NSW, June 2022]

Lateral view of a female Superb Parrot
[Pilliga - Coonamble Road, NSW, May 2021]

Lateral view of a female Superb Parrot
[Pilliga - Coonamble Road, NSW, May 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a female Superb Parrot looking backwards
[Near Burren Junction, NSW, July 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a female Superb Parrot
[Near Burren Junction, NSW, July 2019]

Dorsal view of a female Superb Parrot looking sideways
[Near Burren Junction, NSW, July 2019]

Sex unknown

Lateral/ventral view of three Superb Parrots in flight
[Near Moree, NSW, June 2013]

Lateral view of 12 out of a flock of about 40 Superb Parrots in flight
[Near Moree, NSW, June 2013]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a flock of Superb Parrots in flight (photo courtesy of C. Kellenberg)
[Near Narrabri, NSW, June 2009]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Superb Parrot; note the pale bill
[Culgoora, near Narrabri, NSW, January 2006]

Lateral view of a juvenile Superb Parrot
[Near Moree, NSW, June 2013]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Sep - Dec

Eggs: 4 - 6

Incubation period: 21 days

Fledging age: ca. 35 days

Nest building: ?

Incubation: Female

Dependent care: Female

While incubating and caring for the dependent young in the nest, the female is fed by the male.

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Tree hollow

Material:

Height above ground: 10 - 20 m

Superb Parrots have a preference for River Red Gums or other eucalypt near or over-hanging water. They tend to nest in a dead limb or trunk. However, they are very picky choosers. They like to nest semi-colonially, and every pair wants an optimal hollow. These tight constraints make it hard for them to find suitable (multiple) locations and loss of nest sites is a serious concern for the species. This may eventually force them to attempt breeding outside their original breeding range.

Two pairs of Superb Parrots inspecting potential nest hollows (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Culgoora, near Narrabri, NSW, May 2022]

Female Superb Parrot investigating a potential nest hollow (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Culgoora, near Narrabri, NSW, June 2022]

Female Superb Parrot inspecting a potential nesting hollow in an area where Superb Parrots are not known to breed
(photo courtesy of C. Hayne)
[30 km North of Terry Hie Hie, NSW, June 2013]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 30 x 24 mm

Colour: White

Shape: Rounded

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal

Mobility: Migratory/dispersive

Elementary unit: Small flock

Superb Parrots are short-distance migrants that breed around the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). In wintertime they disperse, mostly northwards, in search of grass seeds. In the north-west of NSW (an area ranging from Narrabri to Wee Waa, Pilliga, Burren Junction and Moree), Superb Parrots are often seen by us feeding on grass seeds in mixed flocks with Cockatiels.

Food, Diet

Adults: Seeds

Dependents: Regurgitated seeds

Water intake: Daily

Like many parrots, Superb Parrots are seed-eaters; primarily they feed on grass seeds.

Near-frontal view of a male Superb Parrot feeding on the shoots and seeds of a small shrub
[Burrendong Botanic Garden & Arboretum, near Wellington, NSW, April 2016]

Upside-down view of a male Superb Parrot feeding on psyllids
[Pilliga - Coonamble Road, NSW, May 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a female Superb Parrots taking psyllids from the underside of eucalypt leaves
[Near Burren Junction, NSW, July 2019]

Mob of Superb Parrots feeding on grass seeds together with Galahs
[Culgoora, near Narrabri, NSW, June 2022]

Male Superb Parrot "helping" a small flock of Galahs and Cockatiels to clean up a grain spill on a road
[Burren Junction, NSW, July 2021]

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.

superb_20220617.m4a	(NW NSW)	Contact calls (male)	© MD
superb_20190722_4.m4a	(NW NSW)	Contact calls (male)	© MD
superb_20220617.m4a	(NW NSW)	Contact calls (male) (+ Galahs)	© MD
superb_20190722_5.m4a	(NW NSW)	Contact calls (group in flight)	© MD
superb_20190722.m4a	(NW NSW)	Warning/departure	© MD
superb_20190722_7.m4a	(NW NSW)	Various (2 females)	© MD
superb_20190722_3.m4a	(NW NSW)	Various	© MD
superb_20190722_6.m4a	(NW NSW)	?	© MD
superb_20190722_2.m4a	(NW NSW)	Mixed group with Cockatiels	© MD

More Superb Parrot sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

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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