Red-capped Parrot

1. Crimson red cap contrasting with bright lime-green cheeks and face

2. Purple-blue underparts with red undertail

3. Specialized long bill for extracting eucalypt seeds

Their diet centers on seeds from Marri and other eucalypts, which they expertly extract with their long, slender bill. They also consume seeds from other native plants, blossoms, leaf buds, and insects (notably psyllid lerps and larvae). Red-capped Parrots forage both in trees and on the ground, often using their left foot to hold seed capsules while prying out seeds-a dexterity shared with other large Australian parrots. Breeding occurs from August to December, with nests in tree hollows, usually high in Marri, Jarrah, or Wandoo trees. Females lay 4–7 eggs, incubating them for about 20 days, and young fledge after about five weeks.

Red-capped Parrots are restricted to extreme southwestern Australia, mostly within 100 km of the coast. They inhabit Marri (Corymbia calophylla) and Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forests and woodlands, as well as farmland, roadsides, watercourses, orchards, and urban parks where mature eucalypts are present.