Swift Parrots (Lathamus discolor)
Identification / Description:
The Swift Parrots are small parrots, about 25 cm long. They are brightly green colored with red around the bill, throat and forehead. The red on their throats are edged with yellow. Their crowns are blue-purple. There are bright red patches under the wings. One of most distinctive features from a distance are their long, 12-cem, thin, dark red tail. This distinguishes them from the similar lorikeets, with which it often flies and feeds. Can also be recognised by its flute-like chirruping or metallic "kik-kik-kik" call.
Location and habitat
Distribution
Breeds in Tasmania during spring and summer, migrating in the autumn and winter months to south-eastern Australia from Victoria and the eastern parts of South Australia to south-east Queensland. In NSW mostly occurs on the coast and south west slopes.
Habitat and ecology
- Migrates to the Australian south-east mainland between March and October.
- On the mainland they occur in areas where eucalypts are flowering profusely or where there are abundant lerp (from sap-sucking bugs) infestations.
- Favoured feed trees include winter flowering species such as Swamp Mahogany Eucalyptus robusta, Spotted Gum Corymbia maculata, Red Bloodwood C. gummifera, Mugga Ironbark E. sideroxylon, and White Box E. albens.
- Commonly used lerp infested trees include Grey Box E. microcarpa, Grey Box E. moluccana and Blackbutt E. pilularis.
- Return to home foraging sites on a cyclic basis depending on food availability.
- Following winter they return to Tasmania where they breed from September to January, nesting in old trees with hollows and feeding in forests dominated by Tasmanian Blue Gum E. globulus.
Ref.: Copyright Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW)
Genus: English: Swift Parrots ... Dutch: Zwaluwparkieten ... German: Schwalbensittiche ... French: Perruche hirondelle 
Species: Scientific: Lathamus discolor ... English: Swift Parrot, Red-shouldered Parakeet, Clink ...
Dutch: Zwaluwparkiet, Swift Parkiet ... German: Schwalbensittich ... French: Perruche hirondelle CITES II ... Endangered Species Distribution: South-eastern Australia, Tasmania, some islands in Brass Strait
Related Web Resources: Lexicon of Parrots ... Tasmania Online ... Endangered - Parks & Wildlife
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