Polytelis swainsonii
The Superb Parrot (Polytelis swainsonii), also known as Barraband's Parrot or Green Leek, is an exquisite and elegant member of the Psittaculidae family, endemic to southeastern Australia. Measuring approximately 40 cm (15.7 inches) in length and weighing between 130-150 grams (4.6-5.3 ounces), this species exhibits striking sexual dimorphism. Males boast a vibrant emerald green plumage, accented by a bright yellow forehead and cheeks, and a distinctive scarlet band across the upper chest, cr...
Found primarily in lowland river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) and Box-Cypress pine (Callitris spp.) woodlands along floodplains, particularly favoring areas adjacent to agricultural lands.
Primarily granivorous, feeding on seeds from grasses, eucalypts, acacias, and agricultural crops like wheat. They also consume nectar, fruits, and flowers, foraging both arboreally and terrestrially.
Superb Parrots are diurnal, typically active from dawn to dusk, often seen in pairs or small family groups during the breeding season, forming larger nomadic flocks of up to several hundred birds outside of it. Foraging occurs both in trees, where they glean seeds and nectar, and on the ground, w...
The Superb Parrot's range is confined to a relatively narrow, inland strip of southeastern Australia, primarily spanning central New South Wales and northern Victoria. Its core breeding distribution centers around the floodplains of the Murrumbidgee and Lachlan Rivers in New South Wales, extendin...
Least Concern
- The Superb Parrot was named after William Swainson, a British ornithologist and artist, with 'superb' reflecting its vibrant plumage. - It is also commonly known as Barraband's Parrot, a name given in honor of French artist Jacques Barraband. - These parrots can live for 25-30 years in captivit...