Australia
SpeciesField NotesLog inDownload

Field notes

Stay in the loop

Get updates, new features, and Australian birding news.

By subscribing, I agree to receive BirdUp Australia updates, new features, and Australian birding news.

Australia
Download for iOSDownload for AndroidSpeciesField NotesRSSNewsletterBrandPrivacyTerms

BirdUp Australia Pty Ltd © 2026. Made in Australia for Australian birders.

  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Psittaculidae
  4. ›
  5. Polytelis
  6. ›
  7. Princess Parrot

BirdUp · Species

Princess Parrot

Polytelis alexandraeGould, 1863

Also known asAntingari

Conservation status: VulnerableOrigin: Endemic
Order
PSITTACIFORMES
Family
Psittaculidae
Genus
Polytelis

At a glance

The Princess Parrot is a large bird, about 40–45 cm long, listed as Vulnerable and endemic to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
40–45 cm
Conservation status
Vulnerable
Origin
Endemic
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Rare
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Behaviour

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Princess Parrot look like?

The Princess Parrot is a large bird, about 40–45 cm long and weighing 92–120 g.

The colourful princess parrot is an Australian bird of the parrot family. Its name was given in honour of Princess Alexandra of Denmark, who in 1863 married the Prince of Wales Edward VII and eventually became Queen of the United Kingdom. Other names for the species include: Queen Alexandra parrot, Alexandra's parakeet, Princess of Wales parakeet, rose-throated parakeet, and spinifex parrot. Their plumage is mostly green with a pink throat, bluish crown and rump, and bright green shoulders.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
40–45 cm
Weight
92–120 g

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Princess Parrot?

The Princess Parrot is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Princess Parrot eat?

The Princess Parrot feeds on nectar/pollen and seeds, usually foraging in pairs or flocks or alone.

The BirdUp app

Log your next Princess Parrot in the field

A pocket field journal for 850+ Australian birds. Offline-first, smart ID, and a lifelist that travels with you.

Get the appRead field notes
Spotted something wrong on this page? Report incorrect info

02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Princess Parrot live in Australia?

The Princess Parrot is endemic to Australia, recorded across 23 of Australia’s bioregions.

BreedingGreat Sandy Desert, north-central and south-central WA and south-west NT; nomadic elsewhere in west-central Australia

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Resident
  • Breeding
  • Non-breeding

7 regions recorded