Neophema elegans
The Elegant Parrot (Neophema elegans) is a slender, medium-sized parrot endemic to southern Australia, typically measuring 22-25 cm (8.7-9.8 in) in length and weighing 40-60 grams. Its plumage is a striking yet subtly camouflaged combination: predominantly olive-green on the upperparts, contrasting sharply with bright yellow underparts. A distinctive broad blue frontal band, bordered above by a narrower light blue line and below by a deeper blue line extending to the eye, serves as a key iden...
Found in arid and semi-arid grasslands, mallee scrub, open woodlands, and saltbush plains, often utilizing areas near permanent or temporary water sources, typically up to 1000m elevation.
Feeds almost exclusively on the seeds of various grasses and herbaceous plants, supplemented occasionally by flowers or small invertebrates; forages by gleaning from the ground.
Elegant Parrots are diurnal, exhibiting peak activity during the cooler hours of early morning and late afternoon, and roosting communally in trees or dense shrubs overnight. They are primarily terrestrial foragers, moving deliberately or running short distances across the ground to glean seeds f...
The Elegant Parrot is endemic to southern Australia, distributed across two primary disjunct populations. The western population is concentrated in southwestern Western Australia, extending inland to the Goldfields-Esperance region. The eastern population spans southeastern South Australia, acros...
Least Concern
- The Elegant Parrot is often referred to as a 'Grass Parrot' due to its predominant habit of foraging on the ground among grasses. - Its scientific genus name, *Neophema*, translates to 'new voice,' referencing the softer, more melodious calls of these parrots compared to many louder parrot spec...