Twenty-Eight parrot

Australian Ringneck Parrot.

 

Barnardius zonarius

Psittacidae

There are several different forms of the Australian Ringneck across its range and each appears slightly different, but they all have one feature in common — a yellow collar that stretches across the bird’s hind neck Aside from appearing different from one another, birds of the different populations also sound different, with pronounced regional variation. For example, the subspecies in Western Australia is often referred to as the ‘Twenty-eight Parrot’ because its contact call is usually rendered as twenty-eight, with the call (and the name) is unknown in other parts of Australia.

The Australian Ringneck is a large parrot, differing in size and plumage in different regions. There are four subspecies, in two main groups. All are mostly green, with an obvious yellow band on the hind-neck. Members of the Mallee group have a mainly green head and neck. The Mallee Ringneck, subspecies barnardi, has a more varied green and blue body, with more yellow underneath and a red frontal band. The Cloncurry subspecies macgillivrayi has much more yellow and pale turquoise around the face. The Port Lincoln group all have dark hoods and are mainly green. The Twenty Eight Parrot, subspecies semitorquatus, has a red frontal band and is all green underneath. The Port Lincoln Parrot, subspecies zonarius, is green and yellow underneath. All subspecies hybridise widely. They are quiet when feeding, but when disturbed fly off with loud alarm calls. Their flight is swift and undulating. This species is also known as the Mallee, Port Lincoln, Banded or Cloncurry Ringneck, Twenty Eight Parrot or Buln Buln.

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