1993•AFA WatchbirdRequires access
The Australian King Parrot
Bill Rattray
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Abstract
In the age of specialization, I decided on a group of very colorful parrots called king parrots. Starting in 1982, I have worked with three species of the king parrots. These include the Australian King (Alisterus scapularis) from eastern Australia, the moszkowskii subspecies of the Green-winged King (A. chloroperus) from New Guinea and the Amboina King Parrot (A. amboinensis) from several Indonesian islands including Amboina in the southern Moluccas. King parrots are naturally tame and confiding, hardy, non-destructive and the quietest of the mid-sized parrots. These endearing qualities make this parrot highly prized by parrot enthusiasts who are ready for a beautiful bird which will not cause complaints from the neighbors. The Australian King Parrot is not a shy bird and is commonly seen in nearby fields, parks and gardens in Australia. It is the largest of the broad-tailed Australian parakeets,'' measuring 17 inches in total length. The adult males have a brilliant red head in comparison to the adult females. A bright, pale green scapular bar above the wings can be seen in the adult males. I have been a bird hobbyist for 25 years, ten of which I have bred king parrots. Most of the flimsy literature which is available on breeding king parrots would discourage even the most avid aviculturists. But the truth is that the Australian King and the other kings are as easy to breed as any of the other Australian parrots, once you allow them to settle down with the correct conditions. I place one pair of king parrots per aviary. The aviaries are eight feet long, three feet wide and four feet in height. I have bred king parrots in cages six to 16 feet long without any noticeable change in productivity. The cages are suspended three and a half feet above the ground. This is done to eliminate bacteria, fungi and worms. Three gang perches are placed at each end of the aviary. The male seems to think that any perch the female is on is his! This gives the female an opportunity to give way to his majesty, thus avoiding stress.