Blue-winged Parrot
Neophema chrysostoma
The Blue-winged Parrot (Neophema chrysostoma) is a rare old world parrot found only in Australia, weighing about 46 g. The blue-winged parrot, also known as the blue-banded parakeet or blue-banded grass-parakeet, is a small parrot found in Tasmania and southeast mainland Australia.
About the Blue-winged Parrot
The blue-winged parrot, also known as the blue-banded parakeet or blue-banded grass-parakeet, is a small parrot found in Tasmania and southeast mainland Australia. It is partly migratory, with populations of blue-winged parrots travelling to Tasmania for the summer. The parrot is sexually dimorphic – the males have more blue on the wings and a two-toned blue frontal band on the head, while females are duller and have more green on the wings and a wingbar. Both sexes have predominantly olive-green plumage. Predominantly a feeder on the ground, the blue-winged parrot mainly eats seeds of grasses. It adapts readily to captivity.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Ranging from 20 to 24 cm long and weighing around 55 g, the parrot is sexually dimorphic—both sexes are predominantly olive-green. The adult male has a two-toned band across the face above but not reaching the eyes—ultramarine above and paler turquoise blue below. Its crown is yellowish, and throat and breast pale green and belly yellow, its wing coverts and under wing coverts are deep blue. The tail is blue-grey. The bill is blue-grey and the iris is brown. The adult female is duller with dull olive underparts and smaller blue on wings and less distinctive frontal band.
Where it lives
When to see it
The Blue-winged Parrot can be seen all year round, with peak activity in January. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Blue-winged Parrot?
- Ranging from 20 to 24 cm long and weighing around 55 g, the parrot is sexually dimorphic—both sexes are predominantly olive-green. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Blue-winged Parrot?
- The Blue-winged Parrot is a small sized bird weighing about 46 g.
- Where can you see a Blue-winged Parrot?
- The Blue-winged Parrot is endemic to Australia, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What birds look similar to a Blue-winged Parrot?
- The Blue-winged Parrot is most easily confused with the Turquoise Parrot, the Elegant Parrot and the Rock Parrot.
- Is the Blue-winged Parrot endangered?
- The Blue-winged Parrot is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Blue-winged Parrot for real
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