Superb Parrot

1. Male’s bright yellow face and throat with a distinctive red throat band

2. Long, pointed tail and streamlined, elegant proportions

3. Repeated wavering, rolling “currack” or “krak, krrak” chatter calls, especially when in flight`.`

Superb Parrots feed on seeds of grasses, herbs, and bushes, as well as lerps, mistletoe berries, eucalypt blossoms, and occasionally wheat from stubble. They breed from September to December, nesting in hollows of large riverine eucalypts, often high above water (11–51 m), and sometimes nest colonially. Females lay 4–6 eggs, incubating them for about 20 days, with young fledging after approximately 30 days. During incubation and early chick rearing, the male feeds the female at the nest. Superb Parrots are partly migratory, with some populations moving northward in winter while others remain year-round in the Riverina. Major threats include habitat loss and degradation (especially removal of mature riverine eucalypts with suitable hollows), competition for nest sites, disturbance around breeding areas, road kills, and trapping for the pet trade. The population is estimated at 5,000–8,000 birds and is listed as Vulnerable nationally and in several states.

Superb Parrots are found in interior southeastern Australia, ranging from north-central New South Wales to northern Victoria, with core breeding areas along the Murrumbidgee, Murray, and Edward Rivers and in the Riverina bioregion. They inhabit riverine eucalypt woodlands dominated by River Red Gum, as well as well-watered open forests and groves in pastures. During the breeding season (September–December), they are usually seen in the southern part of their range, while some birds migrate northward in winter. Superb Parrots are often observed feeding on the ground, along roadsides, or in family groups and small flocks.