Golden-shouldered Parrot
Psephotus c chrysopteryguis
Hooded Parakeet
(pic/page link below)
DESCRIPTION MALE
The forehead and lores are a lemon yellow
becoming yellowish greenish blue on upper cheeks; lower cheeks, throat
breast , sides of body rump and upper tail coverts turquoise, crown and nape
black, chin has a greyish tinge, back is a greyish brown, abdomen, undertail
coverts and thighs an orangish-red with white; base and edging most of the
wing is blue, inner secondaries wing feathers are a greyish brown with a
blue tinge on the outer edge median; wing coverts are yellow, middle tail
feathers upperside bronze green with blue black tips, outer tail feathers are
greenish blue with whitish blue tips, tail underside white bluish, bill grey
horn colour, iris brown, feet greyish brown .
FEMALE
Female is dull green with faint bronze tinge
forehead, lores are a dull whitish, yellow chin and cheeks are light grey, lower
breast and upper sides tinged turquoise, rump and tail coverts turquoise, most
of the sides and underneath whitish, center of abdomen with a reddish tinge. The
young birds resemble the female .
HOODED
The Hooded Parrot is a sub species of the Golden-shouldered Parrot. As far as I
am aware there are no golden shouldered in the USA. The Hooded is available with
some regularity
LENGTH
10 inches
DISTRIBUTION
Australia - northeast of northern territory;
habitat open woodland semi arid areas
STATUS
Endangered in the wild usually found in pairs of family groups
DIET
Basic cockatiel mix, mixed millets, millet sprays, some fruit and soft food
BREEDING
In the wild there breeding season is from may to january, usually in termite
mounds; clutch is normally 4-6 eggs; only the female incubates the eggs with the
male feeding her on the nest. Incubation is 19 days and about 5 weeks for
fledging. The young will been weaned in another two weeks. They are best
kept in a flight at least 6x4x2 feet. They are very sensitive to cold and
wet conditions. The Hooded Parrot should always be kept on their own, away from
other birds and not housed next to to birds of the same family or they can
become aggressive my male even displays aggression to me when I talk to the
pair.
PS - my Hooded laid their first egg 10/02/04