wrote:
>
> Please someone - help me if you have any idea what this bird
> might be.
>
> I'm not happy with two possible females: superb parrot and
> ring-necked/rose-ringed parakeet.
>
> A parrot has appeared in a garden in Beaumaris and in the nearby
> foreshore. Probably the same species as one in the same area for
> 5 months in 1996. The following is a composite of notes by 3
> observers.
>
> Always in company of rainbow lorikeets but about 25% longer, say
> 35-40cm, but slimmer? and not? actually feeding on nectar with
> them..
>
> A pale yellowish-green "like the leaves around a corn cob" or
> "avocado". Possibly slightly paler/more grey beneath. Long
> tail (40% of total length?) appearing yellow from below
> (translucent feathers?). Some outer tail feathers shorter than
> the central ones, making the tail shape a long narrow "V"
>
> A pink mark or oval blotch somewhere around the bend of the wing
> or the coverts - "as if it had been pinched by someone with pink
> paint on their thumb".
>
> Red parrot bill with large upper mandible, pointing downwards
> (rather like a long-billed corrella's beak).
>
> "Floating", "easy" flight. Call possibly "between lorikeet and
> cockatiel".
>
> A couple of possibilities: female superb parrot (but yellowish
> tail and pink patch on wing rule that out ?); female ring-necked
> parakeet (pink patch again wrong ? flight wrong)....
>
> And, yes, I know I should instead be writing to my elected
> representatives (and the leader of the opposition) to tell them
> that land clearance IS a national issue.
>
> Michael Norris
After dusting off Forshaw's 'Parrots of the World', 2nd edition, I think
that your mystery Parrot is *probably* a Rose-ringed Parakeet,
Psittacula krameri -right size, colour and red upper mandible - but the
pink marking on the wing is not mentioned by Forshaw. A red marking on
the secondary coverts is present in the Alexandrine Parrot, Ps.
eupatria, but it is a much bigger bird (58 cm). For some reason
aviculturists are often keen on breeding hybrids, which might explain
it. I have seen quite a few puzzling Psittaculas at liberty over the
years.
Anthea Fleming in Ivanhoe
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