What parrots are these?

[Philip Veerman via Canberrabirds <>]

The message: “What parrots are these?” from Nick Payne to Canberra Birds email list on Wednesday, 19 March, 2025 9:54 AM raised for me the question as to the purpose of the photo and why would be on display at National Library of Australia (NLA). After my initial response, I decided to ask the NLA if there is any history and have received this reply below (quite quickly). It does suggest a surprisingly large number of these birds were imported into Australia. The name “green Mexican parrot”, given at the time indicates that the photographer knew they are not Australian birds but does not clarify what species, as it could be any or indeed several of many quite similar species (genus Amazona and possibly others). It was chosen to display the photo, it appears for the artistic composure of the picture, as explained below.

Philip

 

Request type: (Submitted by me on NLA website)

 

Hello,

There is a curious photo on display there (attached on your link) and I am wondering if you know the history. The "Canberra birds email list" received a message on 19 March 2025 (Nick Payne): “I went yesterday to the National Library and had a look at the exhibition of old Fairfax news photos. This photo was there, captioned "Perching parrots, NSW", but I don't recognise them as a species of Australian parrots. Any ideas?”

 

It is quickly clear that the birds in the photo are not any Australian species. So it is hard to understand where or what was the purpose of the photo and why it has been given that prominence. Presumably the birds are in an aviary. It certainly looks like they are not wild. They do look like the Amazon parrots but hard to know. Hard to rule out some of the African and many Asian or Pacific island species on that photo. The number shown is strange. Amazona parrots are common pets in America and Europe now. But they are not well known in Australia. I count 21 birds in this photo and the setup suggests there may have been more. A calculation would give the current value to the birds in Australia in this photo as something over $40,000. That makes me suspicious that the label may not be correct and it is not Australia. Unless the oddness of the situation is why the photo is of importance.

 

Do you have any information as to the situation or why the photo was made and what was its importance to go on display?

 

Philip Veerman

 

From: Exhibitions [
Sent: Friday, 11 April, 2025 4:24 PM
To:
Subject: NLAref196550 Redirected question Enquiry

 

Good afternoon Philip,

 

Thank you for your email regarding the photograph of parrots in New South Wales in our Fit to Print exhibition.

 

The photograph you enquired about  appears to have been taken a series of three, the other two photographs being: Man and child with parrots, New South Wales, ca. 1920 [picture]. and Man with parrots on his hat and arm, New South Wales, ca. 1920 [picture]..  The issue of The Sun in which the photograph was published indicates that these are "green Mexican parrots". I confess I am no expert on parrots and as these could be a number of species, I will leave it in your capable hands to speculate as to which they belong. In 1924 when the photograph was published a Mr R White of Kensington, Sydney had several hundred of them which he appears to have intended to distribute (some articles indicate that the number was 200, others that it was as much as 700.)

 

Regarding the reason we chose to display the photograph, it is the context in which the photograph is shown that is important. This photograph is paired in the exhibition with another of a group of gentlemen sitting on a bench together, lined up in a similar way to the parrots. In showing these photographs together we intended to draw to the attention of the audience similarities in the compositions, speaking to the methods which press photographers were able to employ.

 

I do hope that answers all of your questions satisfactorily.

 

Best regards,

Allister

 

Allister Mills  |  Coordinator, Curatorial  |  Exhibitions  |  Pronouns: he/him/his
02 6262 1139  |  m("nla.gov.au","amills");" id="OWA65bc7ea5-3e77-8787-f12d-43a3414aa24c">  |  National Library of Australia

The National Library of Australia acknowledges First Australians as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of this land and pays respect to Elders – past and present – and through them to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

Fit To Print: Defining Moments from the Fairfax Photo Archive
Open 27 February – 20 July

Parkes Place Canberra ACT 2600 Australia

+61 2 6262 1111

www.library.gov.au

 

 

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