Reproduction

Breeding takes place from September to January. Males will perform displays where they stretch their body, ruffle the head feathers and flick the wings while uttering the harsh call. Females will respond by bobbing their head and offering food.

The nest is built high in a tree. They will line a hollow with a bed of decayed wood-dust. While the entrance is high off the ground their nest hollow may be so deep that the bottom is near the ground.

Pairs will raise a single brood each year. This includes between 3 and 6 eggs which are incubated for 20 days. The eggs are colored white.

The chicks fledge after 15 days in the nest.

Both genders will resemble a female until they are 6 months old. At this point the male begins his transition which takes a further 16 months to reach adult plumage.

Males achieve sexual maturity at 3 years old compared to females which reach this at 1 year old.

Behavior

King parrots have short, broad wings which carry them through the trees slowly but can quickly change direction to weave side to side if aiming to avoid a predator. Most of their flight occurs under the tree canopy.

While in flight they will produce a harsh screech including when disturbed. They also make a high pitched whistle. Males tend to be the more vocal member of the pair.

These birds live in pairs of a small family group.

Predators and Threats

Habitat alterations as a result of climate change is the main threat posed to the king parrot.

Numbers may be increasing due to their ability to survive in urban areas where they feed at artificial feeding stations or fruiting trees in backyards.

Quick facts

The bright colors of the king parrot have made them popular in the pet trade.

When viewed under an ultraviolet light some of the wing feathers of a king parrot appear with a yellow glow. Some birds are able to see ultraviolet wavelengths due to having a fourth cone in their retina (humans only have three).

These birds were first described by a German naturalist during 1818.

The name king parrot is believed to have been suggested by George Caley as a way to honor Governor Philip Gidley King (Governor of New South Wales from 1800-1806).