Photo: Duncan McCaskill / CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Superb Parrot
Polytelis swainsonii
Superb Parrot (Polytelis swainsonii) — Parrots & Cockatoos of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Superb Parrot (Polytelis swainsonii) is a member of the Psittaculidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 153 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Psittaciformes
- Family Psittaculidae Old World Parrots
- Genus Polytelis
- Species swainsonii
Where it lives
North-central NSW to north-central VIC (inland southeastern Australia)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 153 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Psittaculidae
- Order
- Psittaciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Superb Parrot is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Superb Parrot is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Superb Parrot (Polytelis swainsonii) belongs to the Psittaculidae family of the order Psittaciformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU nc NSW to nc VIC (inland se Australia).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 153 g, with a wing length of about 18.4 cm and a tail of around 21.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 81,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Superb Parrot?
The Superb Parrot is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 153 g.
Where does the Superb Parrot live?
The Superb Parrot is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU nc NSW to nc VIC (inland se Australia), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Superb Parrot belong to?
The Superb Parrot (Polytelis swainsonii) belongs to the Psittaculidae family, in the order Psittaciformes.
What does the Superb Parrot eat?
The Superb Parrot is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Superb Parrot migrate?
The Superb Parrot is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Superb Parrot endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Superb Parrot make?
1 real field recording of the Superb Parrot — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Superb Parrot's range?
The Superb Parrot has a mapped global range of about 81,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Psittaculidae
A field guide to the Psittaculidae family — 202 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.