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Australian King-Parrot

(Alisterus scapularis)
Alternative name: "King Lory"
Size: 42-44 cm

Habitat
(for details refer to a field guide)

Australian King-Parrots are found in a broad strip including the east coast of Australia and the hills of the Great Dividing Range from about Mackay, QLD, in the north to west of Melbourne, VIC, in the south. In addition, there is a population in a narrow near-coastal strip from Lakefield National Park to Charters Towers, QLD. They are not present anywhere else on the continent or Tasmania.

Australian King-Parrots are usually found in relatively open forest with tall trees. Especially in autumn and winter, when fruit and seeds are available, they also enter urban parks and gardens.

Sightings

Australian King-Parrots love the fruit of White Cedar trees. Whoever has any around and lives in south-east Australia will probably have seen these big parrots. At our home until 2006, south of Narrabri, NSW, they were frequent visitors all through the cooler seasons of the year (or as long as the White Cedar fruit will last...).

Seen by us in significant numbers at relatively high altitudes (above 1300 m) in Mt. Kaputar National Park and along the slopes leading up to the peaks of the Nandewar Range. A flock of around 15 birds are permanent residents on the western fringes of Mt. Kaputar National Park. Also seen in the area of Maules Creek, Barraba and Manilla, NSW.

Also sighted on a trip to the east of the Great Dividing Range, in the area from Armidale to Dorrigo, NSW.

Spotted by C. Kellenberg at Depot Beach, Murramarang National Park, NSW, in February 2009.

Not seen by us at all westward of Narrabri on a trip to outback NSW and South Australia in March 2008.

Photos

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Australian King-Parrots are very easy-going customers, which makes it relatively easy to obtain nice shots of them.

Frontal view of a male Australian King-Parrot

Lateral view of a male Australian King-Parrot sitting in a Kurrajong tree

Male Australian King-Parrot chewing on a White Cedar nut

Underside of a female Australian King-Parrot sitting in a White Cedar Tree

Lateral view of a female Australian King-Parrot eating White Cedar fruit under a tree

Close-up portrait of a female Australian King-Parrot chewing on a White Cedar nut

Frontal view of an Australian King-Parrot seen near a waterhole in early morning light

Lateral view of the same bird as above, not completely sharp due to faint light

Breeding information

Breeding season: Oct - Dec Eggs: 4 - 6 Incubation period: 20 days Fledging age: 35 days

Nest

Type: Tree hollow Material: Wood Height above ground: >10 m

It is not entirely certain whether the opening to the tree hollow shown below is in fact the entrance to the birds' nest. We saw them around the opening, but not actually entering it. The same treetrunk had another opening on the other side.

Entrance to the nest(?) of a family of Australian King-Parrots

Eggs

Size: 33 x 27 mm Colour: White Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal Mobility: Sedentary/dispersive Elementary unit: Pair/small flock

The photo below shows that Australian King Parrots can be quite curious.

Australian King Parrot looking into a house clinging to the flyscreen on a window

Food

Australian King-Parrots eat both fruit and seeds. They love apricots and figs (just before they turn ripe) and the fruit of the White Cedar tree. The latter they will eat either sitting in the tree or later from the ground, once they have fallen. Below an example of endemic seeds that they eat. At the time when we saw them around this bush, they were being hustled by an Olive-backed Oriole. It is unusual for parrots to be hustled, because they pose no threat to other species' chicks, so the fight may have been about food competition.

Young male Australian King-Parrot feasting on the seeds of a bush

Here a closer look at the seeds