Red-rumped Parrot

1. Male’s bright red rump contrasting with green body and blue-tinged head

2. Female’s uniformly dull olive-green plumage with no red rump

3. Ground-feeding behaviour, often seen in pairs or small flocks

These parrots feed mainly on seeds and green vegetation from grasses and herbaceous plants, foraging almost exclusively on the ground. They are social and active, often foraging and roosting in groups, and their green plumage provides excellent camouflage in grassy habitats. Breeding occurs from August to January, mainly in spring, but can happen year-round in response to rainfall in drier areas. Nests are placed in tree hollows (usually eucalypts near water), stumps, fence posts, or building cavities, and they may nest colonially. Females lay 4–8 eggs, incubating them for about 19–25 days, with chicks fledging after four to five weeks. Both parents feed the young, but the female does all the incubation and brooding. Red-rumped Parrots are monogamous and often pair for life, with courtship involving elaborate displays and mutual feeding.

Red-rumped Parrots are widespread throughout southeastern Australia, from central Queensland to South Australia and western Victoria, but are absent from Tasmania. They inhabit open woodland, mallee, savanna grassland, and riverine areas with River Red Gums. They have adapted well to farmland, roadsides, and suburban parks, often feeding on the ground in pairs or small flocks, and sometimes forming large flocks after breeding.