Identification:  The male king parrot has a dark green body with a head and breast bright red and black tail. The shoulders have some light green on shoulders. The female has a duller green head and body with a dull red underbelly.

Call/Song:  Contact call is a shrill crassak-crassak made in flight, perched King parrots utter piping, bell- like notes.
     Sound: Dave Stewart -used with permission

Distributed in coastal areas from blow Cooktown to southern Victoria.

Habitat:Found in higher wooded areas - rainforest and eucalypt and outer urban areas where there is suitable habitat.

Feeding: Feeds mainly on fruit, seeds, honey and insects.

Breeding/Nesting: Breeds September to January and nests in holes in trees; the openings to the nests are usually high up in the tree, but the nest itself is often near ground level.

Movement: Usually seen in pairs or small parties feeding in the outermost branches of trees, but also come to the ground to collect fallen seeds. 
 
 

Male King Parrot Female King Parrot Photos:  QDEH

Other Common Names: Southern king parrot, Australian king parrot, king lory, red lory.

Status:

Distribution: Occassionally seen in the higher foliage of the rainforest.

Abundance:  The King Parrot has always been present in small numbers, howevers numbers are increasing around the picnic areas at Green Mountains.

Queensland Museum (1995) Wildlife of Greater Brisbane, Queensland Museum, Brisbane.

Reader's Digest Services (1979) Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds, Surry Hills, NSW.