- Platycercus elegans
Identification
32-36cm.
- Crimson plumage
- Blue cheeks
- Black back and wing coverts, edged with red
- Blue edged flight feathers
- Tail blue above, pale blue undertail
Juvenile
- Blue cheeks
- Green-olive to yellow olive plumage
Distribution
Australia, introduced to New Zealand.
Taxonomy
Subspecies[1]
Three subspecies are recognised by Clements. Platycercus elegans nigrescens E Australia (coastal ne Queensland)
Platycercus elegans elegans E Australia (se Queensland to se South Australia)
Platycercus elegans melanopterus Kangaroo I.
Habitat
Euclypt and wet forest.
Behaviour
They nest in a tree hollow, lined with wood shavings and dust. 4-8 white eggs are laid and are incubated by the female for about 20 days; both sexes care for the young. The young fledge after about 35 days, but depend on their parents for a further 35 days.
References
- Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
austmus.gov; Wikipedia
