I think I’m in love – Regent Parrots are animated sunshine, their beauty is outstanding.
Regent Parrots (Polytelis anthopeplus)
This was the first time I’ve seen Regent Parrots, which makes them a ‘lifer’ in birding parlance.
I was blessed to spend time with a kindred spirit who knows the area like the back of her hand and was happy to sit for ages while we waited to see what, if anything, would appear.
Regent Parrots (Polytelis anthopeplus)
The pair of Regent Parrots landed about 15-20 metres away, at a guess, and all of this week’s images are heavily cropped.
Regent Parrots are found in very limited areas in and around the Mallee in Victoria, NSW and SA. There is a completely separate population in Western Australia where the species is faring better than in Victoria and NSW where it is listed as Vulnerable/Endangered.
Regent Parrots (Polytelis anthopeplus)
I was thrilled to capture images of the male and female Regent Parrot together. Males are more brightly coloured than the female but both are exquisitely beautiful with their bright yellows, soft greens and patches of red on their wings. Both genders have red bills and long blue-black tails and wings. They are about 40cm long and weigh about 175g.
Regent Parrots (Polytelis anthopeplus)
I get shivers of delight when I look at the image above as the parrot ruffled its feathers after preening; the colours are stunning. They feed predominantly on seeds but will also take some fruit and insects.
I’m concerned that I haven’t processed the images well, especially as these birds deserve the best. I’ll work on them again when I’m feeling better and it’s the right side of midnight.
Happy birding, stay well
Kim
PS actually I get shivers of delight when I look at any of the images, or even when I think about the moments we shared with such an exquisite species
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