Australian King-Parrot

Alisterus scapularis

Males are the only Australian parrots with a fully red head. Visits garden feeders with regal, unhurried confidence.

Population: Global population size has not been numerically quantified by BirdLife/IUCN; species is described as "generally common but lost from cleared and afforested areas," with population trend suspected to be decreasing due to ongoing habitat destruction (confirmed directly from BirdLife DataZone factsheet, which also gives an Extent of Occurrence of ~1,830,000 km² for the resident/breeding range)
Habitat: Humid, heavily forested upland regions — rainforest and wet sclerophyll (eucalyptus) forest — plus adjacent farmland, suburban parks, and town gardens; elevations typically below 1000 m (up to ~1600 m)
Fun fact: Adult male and female Australian King-Parrots look strikingly different — the male has a fully red head and underparts, while the female has a green head and breast, making them one of the more sexually dimorphic Australian parrots.
Range: Endemic to eastern Australia (breeding/resident), from Cooktown (north Queensland) south to Port Campbell, Victoria, along the coast and adjacent ranges (QLD, NSW, VIC, ACT); BirdLife DataZone gives an Extent of Occurrence of ~1,830,000 km²; occasional/seasonal records further inland (e.g. Canberra in winter, Sydney's outer suburbs, Carnarvon Gorge)
Diet: Mostly forages in trees and on the ground for seeds and fruit, especially of eucalypts and acacias; also berries, nectar, blossoms, leaf buds, and some insects/larvae
Size: 0.43 m
Lifespan: 25 years

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