IUCN Least Concern (LC)
Australian King-Parrot
Alisterus scapularis
The Australian King-Parrot appears to be one of the few medium-sized parrots doing well in well-treed suburbs. In urban areas it feeds at artificial feeding stations and fruiting trees.
Loud, high-pitched whistle, with a rolling “carr-ack” call in flight. Bird call recorded by: Marc Anderson
Male Australian King-Parrots are the only Australian parrots with a completely red head. Females are similar to males except that they have a completely green head and breast. Both sexes have a red belly and a green back, with green wings and a long green tail. King parrots are normally encountered in pairs or family groups.
The main song & call.
Credits to the owner/recorder.
King-Parrots are usually found in rainforests or wet sclerophyll forests. Can be found in adjacent farmland and town gardens.
Distribution map
The red-and green Australian King-Parrot is seldom seen flying above the tree tops of the dense forests which it inhabits — it prefers to fly below tree level, weaving in and out through the tree trunks instead.
When they are disturbed by a person, they usually fly off with a harsh screech, and often do not land until they are lost to view.
Their flight is swift and strong, characterised by deep, rhythmic wing-beats and regularly punctuated with rapid twists and turns.
Largely sedentary.
The King-Parrot mostly forages in trees for seeds and fruit.
King-Parrots lay their eggs on a bed of decayed wood-dust at the bottom of a deep hollow in the trunk of a tree. Often the entrance is high in the tree but the eggs are near the ground. Incubation is 20 days and the nestling period is 35 days. Clutch size is up to 6.
Breeding season is from September to January.
IUCN status reflects the conservation status of this species globally.
Habitat destruction
Climate change
