There are over 300 parrots all over the world. Of these parrots, 56 are native to Australia, i.e., a sixth of the species on the planet. This diversity is noteworthy as it has earned the country the nickname “The Land of Parrots.”
The reason behind this is the extreme geographical isolation that kept Australia from the rest of the world for a long time. As a result of this separation, the parrots living here flourished and multiplied freely without competition. Some parrots now commonly kept as pets worldwide, like the Cockatiel and the Budgerigar, originated from Australia.
Within Queensland’s Cape York Peninsula is the Palm Cockatoo, Australia’s largest parrot, boasting an impressive length reaching up to 24 inches and weighing in at 2.7 lbs. In comparison, while slightly longer at 26 inches, the Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo remains considerably lighter at just 1.8 lbs. A subspecies of the Sulphur-breasted Cockatoo, the Greater Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, is quite heavy at 3.5 lbs but stands at a more modest 20 inches.
Conversely, within the Great Dividing Range, you’ll find the tiny Double-eyed Fig Parrot, measuring 5.5 inches on average.
List of Australian Parrots
Most of Australia’s parrots are endemic to the country. However, a few species have arrived from neighboring regions and have been marked as such in the list below:
True Parrots (Psittacidae)
- Australian King Parrot
- Australian Ringneck
- Blue-winged Parrot
- Bourke’s Parrot
- Budgerigar
- Crimson Rosella
- Double-eyed Fig Parrot [also found in New Guinea]
- Eastern Ground Parrot
- Eastern Rosella
- Eclectus Parrot [originally from the Maluku Islands]
- Elegant Parrot
- Golden-shouldered Parrot
- Green Rosella
- Hooded Parrot
- Little Lorikeet
- Mulga Parrot
- Musk Lorikeet
- Naretha Bluebonnet
- Night Parrot
- Northern Rosella
- Orange-bellied Parrot
- Pale-headed Rosella
- Princess Parrot
- Purple-crowned Lorikeet
- Rainbow Lorikeet
- Red-capped Parrot
- Red-cheeked Parrot
- Red-collared Lorikeet
- Red-rumped Parrot
- Red-winged Parrot [also found in New Guinea]
- Regent Parrot
- Rock Parrot
- Scaly-breasted Lorikeet
- Scarlet-chested Parrot
- Superb Parrot
- Swift Parrot
- Tasman Parakeet [only on Norfolk Island]
- Turquoise Parrot
- Varied Lorikeet
- Western Rosella
Cockatoos (Cactidae)
- Baudin’s Black Cockatoo
- Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo
- Cockatiel
- Galah
- Gang-gang Cockatoo
- Glossy Black Cockatoo
- Little Corella [also found in New Guinea]
- Long-billed Corella
- Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo
- Palm Cockatoo [also found in New Guinea and the Aru Islands]
- Red-tailed Black Cockatoo
- Sulfur-crested Cockatoo
- Western Corella
- Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo
The Paradise Parrot was also native to Australia but was last seen in 1927 and is presumed to be extinct. The rare Night Parrot was also believed to be extinct after it wasn’t seen from 1912 onwards, but it was later confirmed to be alive in 1979.
FAQs
Several of Australia’s parrots are at risk of becoming extinct. Some noteworthy examples include the Orange-bellied Parrot (70 individuals left), the Swift Parrot (less than 300 individuals in the wild), and the Golden-shouldered Parrot (300 breeding pairs left).
Australian Ringnecks and Red-capped Parrots are very common in Perth. While not initially from that part of the country, the brightly colored Rainbow Lorikeet has also made its way to Western Australia and now thrives in the state.
The Port Lincoln Parrot – a subspecies of the Australian Ringneck – can often be seen flying around Adelaide. The Glossy Black Cockatoo used to be more widespread around the state but nowadays is only limited to Kangaroo Island.
