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. Psephotus
  6. ›
  7. Red-rumped Parrot
Red-rumped Parrot
Photo · no rights reserved

BirdUp · Species

Red-rumped Parrot

Psephotus haematonotus(Gould, 1838)

Updated 11 June 2026

Origin: Endemic
Order
PSITTACIFORMES
Family
Psittaculidae
Genus
Psephotus

At a glance

The Red-rumped Parrot is a medium-sized bird, about 24–30 cm long, endemic to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
24–30 cm
Origin
Endemic
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Endemic
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Voice
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Red-rumped Parrot look like?

The Red-rumped Parrot is a medium-sized bird, about 24–30 cm long and weighing 28–86 g.

The red-rumped parrot, also known as the red-backed parrot or grass parrot, is a medium-sized broad-tailed parrot endemic to open woodland in south-eastern Australia, particularly in the Murray-Darling Basin. It is a highly sexually dimorphic species, with the adult female mainly being a greyish olive-green with lighter underparts and the adult male predominantly being a brightly coloured green and gold with various shades of blue on the wings. Only the adult male possesses the red rump that gives the species its common name.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
24–30 cm
Weight
28–86 g

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Red-rumped Parrot?

The Red-rumped 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

04 · Voice

What it sounds like

Call

James Ray · Vineyard NSW 2765, Australia

Call

Carl Ramirez · -33.6143278, 150.7486791

Call

Carl Ramirez · -33.6154773, 150.7478959

Call

Jono · M3W8+7X, Australian Capital Territory 2611, Australia

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Red-rumped Parrot eat?

The Red-rumped Parrot feeds on seeds, usually foraging in pairs or flocks.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

4 photos

The BirdUp app

Log your next Red-rumped 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 Red-rumped Parrot live in Australia?

The Red-rumped Parrot is endemic to Australia, recorded across 37 of Australia’s bioregions, with a core range spanning south-east Australia.

BreedingSouth-east Australia

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Resident
  • Breeding
  • Vagrant
  • Non-breeding

8 regions recorded