King parrot

King parrot - Scientific name: Alisterus scapularis

The Australian King Parrot is endemic to eastern Australia. It is generally found in the upland regions of the eastern portion of the continent, including eucalyptus wooded areas in and directly adjacent to subtropical and temperate rainforest.

Like most parrots, they pair for life.  Nesting time is sometimes quoted as starting as early as July, but most sources suggest from September to January; and usually in a tall, hollow-trunked eucalypt with the entrance ten to twenty metres above the ground.  The actual nest site often being quite a distance down into the hollow. Clutch of 4-6 eggs are laid and are incubated solely by the female.  Both parents feed the young which fly at about 5 weeks.  They have been quite successful in colonising urban habitats and farmlands to utilise manmade feed sources, becoming regular visitors to parks and gardens

Adults of both sexes are typically about 42 cm (16 in) in length, including the long tail.  The adult males (from about 4 years) are very striking in appearance with a red head, breast, and lower undersides, with a blue lower back, and green wings and tail. They have a reddish-orange upper beak with a black tip and a black lower beak, and yellow eye ring.

Females are similar in appearance to the males, except for a green head and breast, a black upper beak, and paler yellow eye ring.

Juveniles of both sexes resemble the females. Unpaired, younger males can been seen in medium sized groups.

Life expectancy in the wild is unknown, but some pets have been known to live for up to 25 years.