Blue-winged Parrot

1. Striking dark blue wing patch contrasting with olive-green body and yellow belly

2. Distinctive yellow facial markings and a blue line across the forehead

3. High, thin, chiming “zit zit” call, often heard in flight

Primarily ground feeders, Blue-winged Parrots eat seeds of native grasses and herbs, occasionally taking small invertebrates. Breeding occurs from September to January, with one or two broods per season. Nests are placed in hollows of live or dead trees, often eucalypts, up to 20 meters above ground. Females lay 4–6 glossy white eggs, incubating them for about 20 days, and chicks fledge after around 35 days in the nest. Flock sizes range from pairs during breeding to up to 2,000 birds before autumn migration.

Blue-winged Parrots breed in southern Victoria, southeastern South Australia, and Tasmania, favouring eucalypt woodlands with adjacent open areas. After breeding, many migrate north to eastern South Australia, inland New South Wales, and southwestern Queensland, though some birds remain year-round in Tasmania or on the mainland. They are often seen feeding in open grassy areas, sporting grounds, farmland, and pastures, usually in small flocks or pairs. Look for their blue wings and listen for their high-pitched calls as they move between feeding and roosting sites.