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Swift Parrot

Lathamus discolor

Critically Endangered · IUCN Red List

CRCritically EndangeredEndemicNectarForestCavity nestMedium · 65 g
Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor), photo 1
Photo: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom · CC BY 2.0
Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor), photo 2
Photo: frank wouters · CC BY 2.0
Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor), photo 3
Photo: original photograph by frank wouters derivitive work Snowmanradio (talk) 18:52, 4 October 2008 (UTC) · CC BY 2.0
Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor), photo 4
Photo: JR Ferrer-Paris · CC BY 4.0
Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor), photo 5
Photo: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom · CC BY 2.0
Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor), photo 6
Photo: frank wouters · CC BY 2.0
Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor), photo 7
Photo: original photograph by frank wouters derivitive work Snowmanradio (talk) 18:52, 4 October 2008 (UTC) · CC BY 2.0
Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor), photo 8
Photo: Photo by: Paulweberphoto – paulweberphoto.com · CC BY 4.0
Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor), photo 9
Photo: Photo by: Ganatron – paulweberphoto.com · CC BY 4.0
Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor), photo 10
Photo: Zoo Hluboka · CC BY 4.0

ID tip

The swift parrot is about 25 centimetres (10 in) long and has long pointed wings and long tapering tail feathers. It is mainly green with bluish crown and red on the face above and below the beak. The adult female is slightly duller, and the juvenile has a dark brown iris and a pale orange bill. The forehead to throat is crimson and there is also crimson patch at the top, edge of the wing. They are noisy, always active and showy, and are very fast with their direct flight.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Swift Parrot

One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 8 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is May, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Swift Parrot

Regular range

The map shades 1 country with regular records. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Australia

About the Swift Parrot

The swift parrot, also known by the palawa kani name swift waylitja, is a species of broad-tailed parrot, found only in southeastern Australia. The species breeds in Tasmania during the summer and migrates north to southeastern mainland Australia from Griffith-Warialda in New South Wales and west to Adelaide in the winter. It is a nomadic migrant, and it settles in an area only when there is food available. The Swift Parrot was voted 2023 Bird of the Year in The Guardian Australia and BirdLife Australia's biennial poll.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Red-crowned Parakeet (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae) Red-crowned ParakeetCyanoramphus novaezelandiaeVoice: Red-crowned parakeets can be recognised by their soft, musical, chattering calls. Moluccan Eclectus (Eclectus roratus) Moluccan EclectusEclectus roratusThe Moluccan eclectus is unusual in the parrot family for its marked visible light sexual dimorphism in the colours of the plumage. Red-capped Parrot (Purpureicephalus spurius) Red-capped ParrotPurpureicephalus spuriusThe red-capped parrot has a long bill and bright, clear patterned plumage, variously described as magnificent, gaudy, or clownishly coloured.

Side by side: Red-capped Parrot vs Swift Parrot · Red-crowned Parakeet vs Swift Parrot · Moluccan Eclectus vs Swift Parrot

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