The 18 Most Common Parrots Found in Australia: ID Guide and Where to Spot Them - A-Z Animals

Parrots are part of the order Psittaciformes, which includes over 350 bird species, including parakeets, macaws, cockatiels, and cockatoos. Because of the many species living in Australia, this article will focus on our “true parrots.” Parrots are known for making loud noises and their unique, bright colors. Many of our parrots are native to Australia because these birds need to thrive in the perfect climate and habitats. Parrots are considered omnivores, consuming nuts, seeds, flowers, and insects. Let’s dive into what beautiful parrots you can find in Australia!

1. Double-eyed Fig Parrot

The Double-eyed Fig parrot is green with various shades of blue and red on the face. These beautiful birds have a turquoise eye patch and a red spot on their forehead. Males have red cheeks, whereas females do not. You can spot these birds in north Queensland, New Guinea, and New South Wales. Their habitats are in open woodlands and forest edges.

2. Electus Parrot

The Electus parrot was discovered in 1913, living in the forests of north Queensland. The male Electus is emerald green, has red and blue underwings, and an orange beak. Female Electus are bright red, dark purple coloration on the underside of their wings, and a black beak. The average size of this parrot can range from 40 to 48 centimeters long and weigh up to 620 grams. The Electus parrot likes to feed on berries, fruits, and seeds.

3. Red-cheeked Parrot

The Red-cheeked parrot is a stocky, short-tailed parrot first described by Johann Matthaus Bechstein in 1811. Both sexes of birds are green with red cheeks. The males have a mauve nape and head, whereas the females are duller in color with a brown head. Red-cheeked parrots live along streams and forests in northern Australia.

4. Australian King-Parrot

The Australian King Parrot lives along the east coast of Australia, including Cooktown in Queensland and Port Campbell in Victoria. These parrots nest and eat in rainforests or wet Sclerophyll forests. Both female and male parrots have a red belly, green back, wings, and tail. Female Australian King parrots have a green, whereas males have a red head.

5. Red-winged Parrot

The Red-winged parrot is a medium-sized bird that grows up to 33 centimeters long. Male Red-winged parrots are primarily green with large red shoulder patches. Males also have a black back, a deep blue rump, and a yellow tip tail. Females have a dark green back, pale green tail, and a pale blue rump. These parrots live in northern and eastern Australia’s open, dry woodlands and timber-lined watercourses. This beautiful parrot can grow between 31 to 33 centimeters long.

6. Superb Parrot

Both sexes of the Superb parrot are bright green and can reach up to 40 centimeters in length. Males have a bright yellow forehead and cheeks. Females have red thighs and pink patches inside their tail feathers. These birds live in the eastern inland of New South Wales. They will nest in the tall riparian River Red Gum Forest or woodlands of Riverina.

7. Regent Parrot

There are two populations of Regent parrots claiming different parts of Australia. The eastern Regent parrots live in eastern Australia’s woodlands, mallees, and floodplains, whereas the western population lives in open forests and woodlands of Australia. Male Regent parrots have a yellow body, bluish-black wings, and tail. Males also have yellow and red patches on the wings. Females are a dull olive green with pale pink patches on their wings.

8. Red-capped Parrot

The Red-capped parrot has a red crown, neon green and yellow cheeks, and a rump. The breast of this bird is a bluish-purple coloration and has red undersides. You can observe these birds in the Marri, Wandoo, and Jarrah forests. Red-capped parrots tend to stay along the Eucalypt woodlands as well because their long bills are for eating Eucalypt seeds.

9. Swift Parrot

The Swift parrot is primarily green with a dark blue patch on its crown. They also have a crimson coloration around the beak, forehead, and throat. Females have a duller coloration and have a creamy color on the underside of their wings. These birds live in south-eastern Australia in suburban parks, gardens, and Sclerophyll forests. These birds also live around the Tasmanian Blue Gum trees of Tasmania.

10. Red-rumped Parrot

The Red-rumped parrot lives around South Queensland, Victoria, Lake Eyre Basin, and Murray-Darling Basin. The body of this parrot is emerald green with a bright green lower back. The males have a bright green chest and different shades of turquoise on their heads. Females are olive green and have darker shades of coloring on their wings. The Red-rumped parrot has a lifespan of 32 years and can grow up to 11 inches long.

Mulga Parrot

Mulga parrots live in central southern Queensland and north-western Victoria. Their habitats consist of dry or semi-dry shrublands and woodlands. These parrots are emerald green and have yellow bands across their lower foreheads. They also have a yellow patch on their shoulder, a red rump, and yellow coloration on the underside of their tails. Mulga parrots can reach up to 11 inches in length.

12. Golden-shouldered Parrot

The Golden-shouldered parrot lives in the Southern Cape York Peninsula of Queensland. The males are blue with yellow shoulders and a black cap. The lower back is greyish-brown, and the lower belly is pink. The female golden-shoulder parrots have a charcoal grey cap and have a greenish-yellow cream coloration on the underside of their wings.

13. Bourke’s Parrot

Bourke’s parrots are grey and brown with light pink undersides. Around the eyes are white, giving a light-speckled appearance. Females are similar to the males but have a duller coloration. These birds live in north-western New South Wales, Queensland, and the Mid-coast of western Australia. The Bourke’s parrot lives in Mulga, acacia shrubs, and eucalypt woodlands.

14. Blue-winged Parrot

The Blue-winged parrot has an olive-green upper body, a yellow-greenish face, a yellow belly, and dark-colored wings. The tails of these birds are bluish-grey. Blue-winged parrots are found in wetlands near coastal and semi-dry areas of Tasmania and Southern Victoria.

15. Rock Parrot

The Rock parrot lives on the rocky coastlines of south and west Australia. This stocky parrot has an olive-green body, a yellow belly, and a blue face. They also have a pale blue tail and yellowish undersides of their body.

16. Orange-bellied Parrot

The Orange-bellied parrot’s body has different shades of green and yellow. They also have an orange belly, hence the name, and blue coloration of the eyes and wings. During winter, these birds migrate to Victoria and South Australia. You can see these birds around peninsulas, islands, salt marshes, and grassy areas.

17. Turquoise Parrot

The Turquoise parrot has a turquoise blue crown and face, a bright green back, a yellow throat, chest, belly, and tail edges. Males have red-shoulder patches, whereas females do not. You may notice that as these birds age, their underparts are orange. These parrots are found in southeast Queensland and north-eastern Victoria. Their habitats consist of grassy open woodlands with dead trees near water.

18. Scarlet-chested Parrot

Scarlet-chested parrots have bright green upper parts, a blue face, throat, and cheeks. They also have a scarlet-colored chest, hence their name. Females have a paler complexion and a green-colored chest. These birds live in the open woodlands of southern inland Australia.

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