Princess Parrot

1. Exceptionally long, tapering tail that makes up nearly half the bird’s length

2. Male’s combination of soft blue crown, pink throat, and bright red bill

3. Sharp, ringing “krreee” or “queet” calls, especially when in flight

Princess Parrots are highly nomadic, following rainfall and food availability. They feed mainly on seeds of grasses and herbaceous plants, as well as flowers, nectar, and leaves from acacia and casuarina trees. Breeding is opportunistic, typically after significant rain, and nests are placed in hollows of large eucalypts or desert oaks, sometimes with several pairs nesting in a single tree. Females lay 4–6 eggs, incubating them for about 19–21 days; chicks fledge after about 35 days. The species is vulnerable due to habitat degradation from grazing, fire regime changes, and illegal trapping for the pet trade. Population numbers fluctuate dramatically, with large eruptions after good rains and long absences from known sites.

Princess Parrots inhabit the interior deserts of Western and Central Australia, including the Great Sandy and Great Victoria Deserts, with populations occasionally reaching areas near Alice Springs and Uluru. Their presence is highly irregular and nomadic, with core populations likely centered around north-central Western Australia. They favour sandy desert habitats with spinifex hummock grassland, shrub layers, and stands of casuarina, acacia, and eucalypts, especially near watercourses used for nesting.

Many first nations names exist for the Princess Parrot including but not limited to Atninpirchina (Arrernte/Aranda language, Central Australia), Gad/garrie (Narangga, Kaurna, Ngadjuri, and others) and many more. The Princess Parrot was named in honour of Princess Alexandra of Denmark, who married the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) in 1863 and eventually became Queen of the United Kingdom. The species’ scientific name, *Polytelis alexandrae*, also commemorates Princess Alexandra, and it is sometimes referred to by alternative names such as Queen Alexandra Parrot. e