Occurs in dry eucalypt forests but is nomadic and follows the blossom of tree species.
VIC: Vulnerable
Sensitive species — location data may be restricted
Endemic to Australia
At a glance
FamilyOld World Parrots
SizeSmall
RarityCommon
HabitatOccurs in dry eucalypt forests but is nomadic and follows the blossom of tree species.
Best timeMost reliable in South Australia from October to November.
Range map
Range map
200approx hotspots
21072approx records
3states
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
Note orange and yellow check patch, purple crown, yellow above the bill, and red patches in front of the eyes.
Behavior
Moves nomadically in small, fast-flying flocks that track flowering eucalypts, feeding noisily on nectar and pollen.
Gallery
Regional timing
Western Australia
South Australia
Victoria
New South Wales
Queensland
Commonly confused with
Little LorikeetPsitteuteles pusillusIt is a small parrot, predominantly green in plumage with a red face. Other common names include tiny lorikeet, red-faced lorikeet, gizzie, slit, and formerly a local indigenous term gerryang . Measuring 15 cm (5.9 in) in length, the male and female are similarly coloured, although the latter is a little duller. The crown, lores and throat are red, the nape and shoulder bronze-coloured and the remainder of the plumage green.→Turquoise ParrotNeophema pulchellaAdult male has entirely blue face; female and juvenile have reduced blue.→Western RosellaPlatycercus icterotisThe only rosella found in southwestern Western Australia, where it inhabits open woodland habitats and parks, usually feeding on the ground. Adult mottled green and black (or red) above, with red underparts and crown, blue rump, and blue wings. Adult male has more intense colors than female; juvenile lacks yellow cheeks and is more extensively green. Two subspecies exist, varying in back color: the inland subspecies has a green-and-black back, the southwestern subspecies a red-and-black back.→