Australian King Parrots are a medium-sized parrot, and as the name suggests, they are native to Australia. They are the largest of the brightly colored local Australian parrots. They are by far the largest parrots in Australia, measuring between sixteen and seventeen inches long and weighing between seven and eight ounces. This parrot is a particularly robust and vigorous bird; their lifespan in captivity can average twenty to twenty-five years.

King parrots of Australia are also known as the king parrot, Queensland king, southern king parrot, Australian king parrot, and eastern king parrot. Australian king parrots are inhabitants of the Australian coastal mountains and forested regions of Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales. While wild birds are mostly seen in the eastern regions of Australia, wild King Parrots are commonly seen in populated areas such as parks and gardens.

In the wild, Australian King Parrots eat fruits, berries, seeds, and small insects. During the early morning and late afternoon, wild Australian King Parrots can be seen in groups of three to five flying to their daily feeding grounds. They are known to destroy orchards and corn crops. Most farmers consider them largely pests.

Birds are known to have a preference for the fruit of the white cedar. It is very common to see them eating ripe kiwis, figs, and eucalyptus seed pods. When kept in captivity, they typically eat commercial bird food from a feeding tray. Their diet can be supplemented with passion fruit, kiwi, sunflower seeds, and fresh ears of corn. They seem to favor early morning shots.

Birds are not known to be overly affectionate and may not take it very well. However, birds are by no means antisocial. In fact, they seem to enjoy interacting with their keepers. Birds are an excellent alternative to the more vocal parrots. They are calm parrots and tend not to scream, making them highly sought after due to their good nature. While they are not the best talkers among parrots, they can learn to say a few words. When vocalizing, the owners are entertained by their chatter and very pleasant whistles.

Often described as beautiful, Australian King Parrots have a highly visible color pattern. It consists of a color scheme of mainly reds and greens. The heads of the males are fiery red, while the heads and breasts of the females are green. Both sexes generally have flat bellies and a green color running down their tails and onto their wings. The back and wings are usually dark green with a lighter green patch on the shoulders.

Keep in mind that it is a curious and intelligent bird. They will need a large cage to keep them active. As mentioned above, they are hearty birds and must be exercised outside of the cage every day. Standard exercise for this bird is three to four hours out of the cage, so give them plenty of attention and they’ll reward you with lots of love.