Elegant Parrot

1. Golden olive upperparts with a bright yellow belly and yellow face between the eye and bill

2. Thin dark blue band across the forehead, edged with pale blue above and behind the eye

3. High, thin, insect-like “zit” call and soft twittering while feeding

Elegant Parrots feed mainly on seeds of native and introduced grasses (including clover, Paspalum, Lomandra, and twinleaf), as well as some fruits, flowers, and insects. They forage almost exclusively on the ground, often in small to medium-sized flocks, and are generally quiet except when disturbed, when they emit a buzzy “zzt-zzt-zzt” or sharp “tsreet\!” call. Breeding occurs from July to November or after significant rainfall, with nests placed high in tree hollows, usually in eucalypts along watercourses or in stringybark forests. Clutch size is typically 4–6 eggs, and both parents share feeding duties.

Elegant Parrots are found in southwestern Western Australia and south-central South Australia (including Kangaroo Island), extending east into western Victoria. They inhabit a variety of open environments, including coastal dunes, mallee, eucalypt woodland, grasslands, saltbush and bluebush plains, and lightly wooded agricultural areas. They are often seen feeding on the ground in small flocks, especially in areas with scattered trees or along the edges of open country. Their bright colouration makes them more visible in flight, but they can blend in well with vegetation when feeding on the ground.