Australian Ringneck

Australian Ringneck (ssp macgillivray)
© Brian McCauley [CC BY-SA 2.0] via Flickr

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Did You Know?

The name Twenty-eight Parrot comes from the subspecies' call, a three-syllable pit-tink-tink...pit-tink-tink, with the middle note higher, sounding like twenty-eight, twenty-eight.

Academic Research

Related publications: Barnardius zonarius

Species Profile

Genus: Barnardius | Species: zonarius

Size:

37cm (14.4in) - 42cm (16.4in)

Weight:

123-143g (4.3-5 oz)(zonarius), 142-206g (5-7.2 oz) (semitorquatus)

Subspecies including nominate:

five: B.z. zonarius, B.z. occidentalis, B.z. semitorquatus, B.z. barnardi, B.z. macgillvrayii

Colour Adult:

B.z. zonarius: Male-dark green body; dull black head, nape and upper cheeks; dark green throat and breast; bright yellow abdomen; bronze/green tail with blue and widely tipped white. Bill grey/white. Eye dark brown. Female-as in male but duller; head more brown/black; occasionally has underwing stripe.
B.z. occidentalis: Both adults differ from zonarius by paler plumage; paler grey/black on head; lemon/yellow abdomen to undertail coverts.
B.z. semitorquatus: Male-as in zonarius, but larger in size; green abdomen to undertail coverts, paler than green on breast; frontal band red and prominent; heavier, wider bill. Female-in general duller than male; black on head more dull and more brown; frontal band on forehead smaller and paler, sometimes absent.
B.z. barnardi: Male-in general bright green plumage; frontal band red; thin yellow collar surrounding hindneck; blue/black mantle and back; upper abdomen has orange/yellow band; tail green and widely tipped with white. Bill grey/white. Eye dark brown. Female-in general duller than male; dull green mantle and back with olive/brown tint; pale underwing stripe.
B.z. macgillivrayi: Male-paler green than barnardi; red frontal band absent; pale yellow abdomen. Female-slightly duller than male; pale underwing stripe usually present.

Colour Juvenile:

B.z. zonarius: As in adults but duller, especially on head; more brown on head; underwing stripe present in most females, absent in males.
B.z. semitorquatus: As in adult female.
B.z. barnardi: Duller than adult female; underwing stripe present, more evident in females.
B.z. macgillivrayi: Duller than adult female; frontal band dusky orange, usually disappearing within a few months; pale underwing stripe.

Call:

Port Lincoln calls described as gutteral and lower-pitched compared to Mallee Ringneck Parrot; in southwest Twenty-eight Parrots emit three syllable notes, with middle note higher.  Mallee Ringneck parrots have harsh metallic alarm calls and a ringing, high-pitched repetitive call.

Video Links:

More Information:

Avibase
BirdLife Australia

Content Sources:

Australian Ringneck (ssp macgillivray)
© Brian McCauley [CC BY-SA 2.0] via Flickr

Photos

View in Gallery

Did You Know?

The name Twenty-eight Parrot comes from the subspecies' call, a three-syllable pit-tink-tink...pit-tink-tink, with the middle note higher, sounding like twenty-eight, twenty-eight.

Academic Research

Related publications: Barnardius zonarius

Species Care

Captive Status:

Common in Europe, less so in UK and USA.

Longevity:

18 yrs

Housing:

Walk-in enclosure, minimum length 4.5m (14.7ft).

Diet:

Small seed mix such as: canary, oats, safflower and small amount of hemp; spray millet; limited sunflower seed, dry, soaked or sprouted; sprouted beans such as mung, cooked butterbeans and lentils; boiled maize; green leaves such as: Swiss chard, lettuce, sowthistle, dandelion, chickweed; vegetables such as: carrot, celery, green beans and peas in the pod; fresh corn; fruit such as: apple, pear, banana, cactus fruits, pomegranate, orange; nuts such as: walnuts, lightly cracked hazelnuts, pecans and roasted peanuts; complete kibble.

Enrichment:

Are avid chewers so provide lots of bird-safe (non-toxic and non-sprayed) wood chew items, such as branches of fir, willow, elder and pine, wood blocks, and vegetable tanned leather toys.

Nest Box Size:

Vertical box or log 24-28" (61-71cm) high and 8" x 8" (20.3 x 20.3cm) square.

Clutch Size:

4-6

Incubation Time:

20 days

Fledging Age:

5 weeks

Hatch Weight:

Not recorded.

Peak Weight:

Not recorded.

Weaning Weight:

Not recorded.

Australian Ringneck (ssp macgillivray)
© Brian McCauley [CC BY-SA 2.0] via Flickr

Photos

View in Gallery

Did You Know?

The name Twenty-eight Parrot comes from the subspecies' call, a three-syllable pit-tink-tink...pit-tink-tink, with the middle note higher, sounding like twenty-eight, twenty-eight.

Academic Research

Related publications: Barnardius zonarius

Species Wild Status

World Population:

Unknown, increasing.

IUCN Red List Status:

Least Concern

CITES Listing:

Appendix II

Threat Summary:

A fairly common species over a third of the Australian continent and abundant in Western Australian wheatbelt. Nevertheless, poor regeneration of old-growth nesting trees is a long-term cause for concern. Race barnardi is intolerant of human settlement of range, suffering declines as a result of mallee and woodland clearance for grazing and cultivation.

Range:

B.z. zonarius: C, SC and NW Australia, from Eyre Peninsula and W Lake Eyre basin, S Australia, north to southwestern borders of Barkly Tableland and S Tanami Desert, Northern Territory, and SE Kimberly division of W Australia and west to Gascoyne-Murchison Rivers district, W Australia.
B.z. occidentalis: Restricted to north central W Australia, south and west of Great Sandy Desert from De Grey and upper Oakover Rivers south to Gascoyne-Murchison Rivers district.
B.z. semitorquatus: Restricted to southwestern area of W Australia north and east to line from Perth through Darling Range to King George Sound.
B.z. barnardi: Interior of SE and CE Australia, from NW Victoria and Murray River region of SE South Australia north through W New South Wales and E South Australia to interior of S Queensland.
B.z. macgillivrayi: NW Queensland and nearby eastern Northern Territory, at latitude 18deg30minS on Leichhardt and Nicholson Rivers, south the latitude 23degS, as east to tributaries of upper Diamantina River.

Habitat:

Found in variety of habitats including river red-gums along waterways, Acacia and mallee scrub, open Eucalyptus woodland, farmland, desert scrub and some suburban areas.

Wild Diet:

Diet is comprised of nectar, blossoms, seeds, fruits, corms and insects and their larvae. Sometimes takes grain crops.

Ecology and Behaviour:

Are conspicuous, noisy and inquisitive while foraging in canopy, remaining quiet while feeding on the ground. Are active morning and evening. Large parties gather to roost after having their fill of water for the night.

Clutch and Egg Size:

4-6 rounded eggs, 29.5 x 24.0mm (1.1 x 0.9 in).

Breeding Season:

August-February across range. Nest is in tree cavity.

Related Links:

Research: The diets of three species of parrots in the south of Western Australia
Research: Cultural diversification in the flight call of the Ringneck Parrot in Western Australia

Australian Ringneck (ssp macgillivray)
© Brian McCauley [CC BY-SA 2.0] via Flickr

Photos

View in Gallery

Did You Know?

The name Twenty-eight Parrot comes from the subspecies' call, a three-syllable pit-tink-tink...pit-tink-tink, with the middle note higher, sounding like twenty-eight, twenty-eight.

Academic Research

Related publications: Barnardius zonarius

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