The Mulga Parrot (Psephotus varius)

Also known as Many-colored Parrot, the Mulga Parrot is a particularly beautiful medium to small parrot which is related to the Red-rumped Parrot and, more distantly, the Hooded, Goldenshouldered and nearly, or supposedly, extinct Paradise Parrot. Unfortunately, it is this last species that some individuals have tried to reproduce, unsuccessfully, by hybridizing Mulga Parrots with either Hooded or Goldenshouldered. It is likely that the Paradise Parrot is the nominate form, from which the other species developed and is, therefore, unattainable through hybridizing, as much as it would be impossible to reproduce a wolf by cross breeding domestic dogs, the ancestor from which they originated. Description and Sexing Mulga Parrots are sexually dimorphic, which is to say the feather coloration between sexes is quite different, thereby allowing simple and obvious visual identification of sexes, from prior to fledging and onwards. Male: Predominately a light green bird with a varying degree in depth of color being darker particularly on the dorsal surface. The cheeks, ear covert and throat area have a distinct iridescence and slight aqua appearance in some birds. There is a prominent forehead stripe which can sometimes be evident in some females although much paler. There is a dark crimson patch on the crown of most males and some females will show a slight degree of this also. The wings, which are predominantly green, exhibit a bright yellow or golden blaze on the shoulder with the outer or leading edge of the wing dark to light blue and the primaries and secondaries dark blue. Primary flight tips are black. The underside of the bird has a light green breast with a bright yellow vent and lower chest surrounding, in most birds, a bright red or orange abdominal patch. The tail feathers are green graduating to blue and the bird has a dull crimson strip across the upper tail covert to rump area. The eye is dark and the bill is dark grey with a silver sheen. Female: Is distinctive and should not be confused at all with Redrumped females. Although they have a similar olive green color, the Mulga has many more colors, with notably a red shoulder blaze. There is also the slight red crown in some females, the occasional frontal stripe and definitely a bright pastel green abdominal area. Some individuals can exhibit a slight degree of dull crimson in the abdomen area. Immature: Birds can be sexed accurately as soon as the feathers on the dorsal surfaces have developed enough to give clear indication of color. The shoulder blaze is not always clear and may show a slight  degree of both colors, red and yellow, in the early stages, most particularly in males. The general body color gives clear enough indication of sexes in the same fashion as immature Redrumped Parrots, Psephotus haematonotus. One very important consideration is that young birds, when first fledged, have yellow bills to some degree. Other than this, immature females closely resemble adult females. Therefore, it is worthwhile to have the adult female leg rung, as the yellow in the bill of immatures can quickly disappear. If this should occur, the adult female will be a slightly bigger bird, have older, greyer looking legs and feet and the bill should also be darker with the silver white sheen more developed. She will also, no doubt, be a more accomplished flier and therefore wiser about the net and how to avoid it. Immature birds should not be left with the adults long enough for immature males to color sufficiently to make if difficult to distinguish between the adult male. Whether you observe it or not, in most cases the adult male will become aggressive towards his offspring, most notably the males. Distribution As the colloquial name suggests, the Mulga Parrots inhabit low rainfall areas such as Mulga scrub, Acacia aneura, Myall, A. sowdeni, Blue bush, Maireana sp. and Saltbush, Atriplex sp., as well as Casuarina/ Saltbush countiy and a large degree of the various Mallee habitats. Generally speaking, they are an inhabitant of arid to semi arid, hot dry climates south of the Tropic of Capricorn. They are found often in association with the different species of Blue-bonnets over their range. Blue-bonnets, once regarded as Psephotus, have been renamed as a separate group, genus Northiella, being distinctive from Psephotus in many ways. The sight of Mulga Parrots low down on dead and fallen timber of the Mallee, flitting low over the undergrowth or alighting on a saltbush is indeed a memorable sight, difficult to surpass. All of their colors become brilliantly apparent, as if lit up, while they are in flight and all the while uttering a beautiful fluty call quite different to so !11any parrots. They are, indeed, a gem.