Naretha Bluebonnet — Australian Bird Identification Guide

Bird guideNaretha Bluebonnet

Brown parrot with yellow belly, red undertail, and blue face, found in dry woodland habitats of the extreme southeastern part of Western Australia, on the western fringe of the Nullarbor Plain.

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⚠️WA: Rare

🌿Endemic to Australia

🍃Indigenous: Naretha Blue Bonnet

At a glance

FamilyOld World Parrots

SizeMedium

RarityRare

HabitatMarine and coastal; usually found over open ocean, offshore waters, islands, headlands, and other coastal areas.

Best timeMost reliable in South Australia from April to May.

Sounds

Sound sample

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Recorded by David Tattersley

Range map

Occurrence window

103visible hotspots

384visible records

2states

Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence

Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.

Species notes

Overview

Identify from the very similar Greater Bluebonnet by a completely yellow belly and also by range.

Behavior

The behavioural variations of bluebonnets include characteristic jerky, bobbing movements which are accentuated with excitement or fear and they have unique call notes; unlike any other Australian bird. DeMarcaux told Whitlock this pet bird had been taken from a nest, 5 years earlier at the railway line settlement of Naretha ; which was 120km to the east of Zanthus. Breeding takes place in hollows in she-oak (Casuarinaceae) trees.

Gallery

Regional timing

South Australia

Peak: April to May298 records

Western Australia

Peak: July86 records

Commonly confused with

Mulga ParrotPsephotellus variusFemale primarily brownish-green but with splashes of turquoise, blue, red, and yellow. Typically feeds on the ground.→Australian RingneckBarnardius zonariusPlumages also vary, and the subspecies sometimes interbreed.→BudgerigarMelopsittacus undulatusLargely nomadic, according to food and water availability. Usually found in small flocks zipping around overhead, but can congregate in staggering numbers under the right conditions. All native birds in Australia are green and yellow with a beautiful scalloped pattern on the upperparts and fine barring on the head. Small introduced populations and escaped birds scattered across the globe can include various other color forms such as blue and white.→