Bourke's Parrot

Identificazione

The Bourke's parrot is a relatively small species. They tend to vary between 18 cm and 23 cm in length with a tail length of approximately 9 cm. The females of the species tend to be slightly smaller than the males: males of the species weigh between 47 g and 49 g whilst females weigh between 41 g and 49 g. Both sexes look very similar until the age of nine months, after which they come into full plumage colour. In the wild, Bourke's parakeets display an overall brown colouration with a pink abdomen, pinkish breast and a blue rump. The legs are dark-brown, with zygodactyl toes. The bill is yellowish-brown. The adult male has a blue forehead while the adult female has a little or no blue on the forehead. The Bourke's parrot's feathers help it blend in with the reddish soil of its arid home.<p>The bird's call has been described as a "soft twitter". Other sounds made by the Bourke's parrot go "chu-vee", "chirrup chirrup", or when alarmed, "kik-kik-kik".

Tassonomia

The name of the Bourke's parrot comes from Sir Thomas L. Mitchell, who spotted the bird in New South Wales in 1835. Mitchell named the species after Sir Richard Bourke, the governor of the state at the time.<p>The ornithologist John Gould wrote the first scientific description of the Bourke's parrot in 1841. Gould initially classified the species as Euphema bourkii, but it was later classified within the genus Neophema which fully consists of grass parakeets.<p>In the mid-90s, the Bourke's was reclassified into its own genus, Neopsephotus. This was done because of a lack of evidence that the parrot could hybridize with the rest of the Neophema genus; they are different in colouration and live a nomadic lifestyle throughout the arid regions of Australia. The Bourke's parrot is still however referred to as a type of grass parakeet.

Nome scientifico

Neopsephotus bourkii

Autorità

(Gould, 1841)

Ordine

Psittaciformi

Famiglia

Psittaculidae

Genere

Neopsefote

Areale e habitat

The Bourke's parrot is native to Australia. As a nomadic species, following water and food sources, it has a vast range. The Bourke's parrot is mainly found in sparsely populated areas; however they have been known to dwell in urban areas as well. These parrots can be found from the South-western parts of Queensland deep into western New South Wales, throughout Central Australia to the far northern parts of South Australia and parts of Western Australia. The Bourke's parrot's main habitat consists of areas dominated by Acacia species, particularly mulga, and spinifex plains. The species can also be found in native cypress and open eucalypt woodlands.

Migrazione

Nomade

Comportamento

Comportamento migratorio: Nomade.

Conservazione

Tendenza della popolazione: in aumento.

Tendenza della popolazione

in aumento