Golden-shouldered parrot
Common name: Golden-shouldered parrot
Scientific name: Psephotus chrysopterygius
Animal group: Parrots
Conservation status: Endangered in Queensland (Nature Conservation Act 1992) as well as nationally (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999).
Description: The golden-shouldered parrot measures 240-260mm in length including its long tapered tail. Like most parrots it is brilliantly coloured, especially the male which is primarily turquoise with a red belly and bronze wings boasting a streak of bright yellow. The bronze extends to some of its tail feathers, with the rest being black like its crown. Females and immature birds are mostly various shades of green with a turquoise rump.
Habitat and distribution: The golden-shouldered parrot is restricted to two populations in central Cape York Peninsula. Its preference is for tropical savanna woodland.
Behaviour and life history: Golden-shouldered parrots are characteristically found in pairs or family groups of three to eight birds. They fly with swift, direct movements but spend much of their time on the ground feeding on the seeds of annual and perennial grasses, particularly fire grass (Schizachyrium spp.). Most of the year small areas with abundant seeds are occupied with a preference for open habitat that has been created by dry season fires. A shortage of food occurs annually in the wet season forcing the parrots to change their diet to include other grasses.
Golden-shouldered parrots make their nests in termite mounds. Mounds are rarely occupied more than once, possibly due to the difficulty of evacuating parasites. Because mounds are usually only suitable for nesting when they are 30-50 years old, there are problems in some areas where most mounds of a suitable size have already been used.
Breeding occurs from March to June, after termites have stopped building and when plenty of seed is available. Females lay four to six eggs that hatch in approximately 20 days and the young are fully fledged in five weeks.
Threatening processes: The shortage of food that occurs annually in the wet season is often made worse by a lack of burning and intense stock grazing. Altered fire patterns and grazing have also resulted in an increase in the density of woody shrubs which, it is thought, increases the vulnerability of the parrots to predators.
Be Alert, Be Aware…
Feral pigs can cause major destruction to the land through their natural behaviour, which includes rooting for food, wallowing, trampling, tusking or rubbing trees, and eating just about anything!
These habits adversely affect birds that nest and dwell on the ground, such as the golden-shouldered parrot. Feral pigs dig up the ground, causing the loss of nesting sites and allowing the establishment of weeds that compete with these birds' preferred native food and habitat plants.
Golden-shouldered parrots now number fewer than 2000 individuals within their limited range. The population declined between 1992 and 1998; however, it iss thought to be stabilised.
Recovery actions: A recovery plan has been developed for the golden-shouldered parrot that sets out objectives for increasing the numbers of the birds and specific actions that need to be taken to achieve these objectives.
Further information:
Recovery plan for the golden-shouldered parrot Psephotus chrysopterygius 2003-2007
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds, 1988, Reader's Digest Services Pty Ltd, New South Wales.
Management guidelines for golden-shouldered parrot conservation
Last updated: 11 July 2006