The Blue Bonnet or Yellow-vented Blue-bonnet Parrot (Northiella haematogaster haemetogaster or Psephotus haematogaster haematogaster) is endemic to western and southern New South Wales, north-western Victoria and south-eastern South Australia
Blue Bonnet parrots are sporadically dispersed, socially gathering in groups of up to 30 birds.
Breeding / Mating
They permanently mate. Their courtship ritual is quite entertaining and entails fanning and shaking of their tail feathers, raising their crown feathers and a lot of head bobbing.
They nest in low-lying tree openings lined with wood substances. The average nest consists of 4 to 7 eggs, which are incubated by the female for about 22 days.
The male assists in rearing the young and feeds the female on the nest.
Diet / Feeding
The main diet consists of native grasses and herbaceous plants, as well as flower and fruit nectar.
Description
These medium-sized parrot averages 29-30 cm / 11.6-12 inches in length.
The general plumage is olive-brown. The forehead, lores (the regions between the eyes and bill on the side of a bird’s head), front of crown, ear-coverts and forward cheek area are mauve-blue. The ear-coverts have a dull yellowish streaking and the remainder of the head, back and lower back is olive-grey.
The throat and upper breast are dull olive-brown, each feather washed pale brown. The lower breast, sides of abdomen and under tail-coverts are yellow. There is a deep red patch on the abdomen and parts of the thigh.
The bend of the wing, primary wing feathers, outer webs of primaries (longest wing feathers) and under wing-coverts are violet-blue.
The shoulder feathers and outer lesser wing-coverts are blue. The median, inner lesser wing-coverts and inner secondary-coverts are olive. The outer secondary-coverts are olive with broad blue markings.
The rump and upper tail-coverts are olive. The upperside of the middle tail-feathers are bronze-green with dark blue tips. The outer tail-feathers are dark-blue with whitish-blue tips.
The underside of the tail is white-bluish. The bill grey-horn. There is a narrow grey periophthalmic ring. The irides (= plural of iris) are grey-brown and the feet grey-brown.
Females look like males, but have a duller blue facial area. The red to abdomen and thighs is much less extensive. The white under-wing stripe; head and bill are on average smaller.
Immatures as adults, but with much duller plumage; much less red to abdomen and thighs; under-wing stripe present; adult plumage attained by 12 months.
Taxonomy:
Genus: Scientific: Northiella … English: Blue-Bonnets … Dutch: Blauwkapparkieten … German Rotsteißsittichen … French: Perruche à queue rouge
Species: Scientific: Northiella haematogaster haemetogaster aka Psephotus haematogaster haematogaster … English: Blue-bonnet, yellow-vented Blue-bonnet … Dutch: Blue-Bonnet Parkiet … German: Blutbauchsittich, Gelbsteißsittich … French: Perruche à anus jaune
Sub-species
Pallid Yellow-vented Blue-Bonnets:
This endangered species (CITES II) is endemic to South Australia
Description:
They look like the nominate species featured above, but their plumage is generally much paler.
The female looks like the male; however, the head and the bill are, on average, smaller. This species is about 30 cm / 12 inches long, from beak to tip of tail.
Taxonomy:
Genus: Scientific: Northiella … English: Blue-Bonnets … Dutch: Blauwkapparkieten … German : Rotsteißsittichen … French: Perruche à queue rouge
Species: Scientific: Northiella haematogaster pallescens aka Psephotus haematogaster pallescens … English: Pallid Yellow-vented Blue-Bonnet … Dutch: Bleke Blue-Bonnet Parkiet … German: Blasser Gelbsteißsittich … French: Perruche à anus pale
Red-vented Blue-Bonnets:
The Red-vented Blue-bonnet is endangered in its natural range (CITES II), which includes Southern Queensland and northern New South Wales in Australia
Description:
As Blue-bonnet Parrots (haematogaster) – above – but the red to abdomen extends to under tail-coverts. The shoulder feathers and outer lesser wing-coverts are pale green. The inner lesser and median wing-coverts are brownish-red. They also tend to be slightly larger, averaging 31 cm / 12.25 inches in length.
Females look like males, but have a generally duller plumage. The facial area is duller blue. The red to abdomen, under tail-coverts and thighs are less extensive; and the head and bill is on average smaller.
Young birds look like adults, but with a slightly duller plumage. There is less red to the abdomen, under tail-coverts and thighs. They attain the adult plumage when they are about one year old.
Taxonomy:
Genus: Scientific : Northiella … English: Blue-Bonnets … Dutch: Blauwkapparkieten … German: Rotsteißsittichen … French: Perruche à queue rouge
Species: Scientific: Northiella haematogaster haematorrhous aka Psephotus haematogaster haematorrhous … English: Red-vented Blue-Bonnet … Dutch: Roodbuik Blue-Bonnet Parkiet … German: Rotsteißsittich … French: Perruche à anus rouge
Psephotus Information … Photos of the Members of the Psephotus Family for Identification
