Aust birds    Bird names   News   1-26    Habitats    Key plants    Glossary    Plumage    Nests    Tips    Thumbnails    Gen. info    Sponsors    Photos for sale   
NON-PASSERINES     1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10     11     12     13     14 15     16     17     18     19     20     21     22     23     24     25     26     PASSERINES
Common names sorted alphabetically: A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J   K   L   M   N   O   P   Q   R   S   T   W   Y  

12

Superb Parrot

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

Similar
species

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

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Superb Parrot at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

ADULT

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, 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]

Near-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]

Lateral view of a male Superb Parrot in an ironbark eucalypt tree
[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]

Near-lateral view of a female Superb Parrot; this is one of the birds whose calls were recorded in recording #7 on 22 July 2019
[Near Burren Junction, NSW, July 2019]

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

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

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

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/ventral view of a female Superb Parrot
[Near Burren Junction, NSW, July 2019]

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

Two female Superb Parrots perched high up in an eucalypt
[Near Burren Junction, NSW, July 2019]

PAIR

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

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

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

Flock of Superb Parrots in flight (photo courtesy of C. Kellenberg)
[Near Narrabri, NSW, 2009]

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

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

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of a juvenile Superb Parrot; note the pale bill and the absence of red on the legs
[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: Sedentary/dispersive Elementary unit: Small flock

In the north-west of NSW (Narrabri, Moree) often seen by us 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 of an psyllids
[Pilliga - Coonamble Road, NSW, May 2021]

Flock of Superb Parrots feeding on seeds near a roadside
[Near Narrabri, NSW, 2006]

Female Superb Parrots taking psyllids from the underside of eucalypt leaves
[Near Burren Junction, NSW, July 2019]

Female Superb Parrots taking psyllids from the underside of eucalypt leaves
[Near Burren Junction, NSW, July 2019]

Female Superb Parrots taking psyllids from the underside of eucalypt leaves
[Near Burren Junction, NSW, July 2019]

Superb Parrots feeding on the berries of the noxious weed African Boxthorn
[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
[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.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site?
If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.